Poland initiates 2026 school year with phone ban and Kompas Jutra curriculum reform

Statutory smartphone ban in primary schools

From 1 September 2026, Polish primary schools and preschools will enforce a statutory ban on smartphones, smartwatches, and other personal recording and communication devices. The restriction will apply throughout the entire school day, including class breaks. Primary schools will establish internal storage rules, such as dedicated lockers, and will have until 31 December 2026 to update their school statutes. High schools and technical colleges will retain autonomy to set their own phone policies.

The legislation outlines three explicit exceptions to the prohibition. Devices will be permitted when teachers grant approval for instructional purposes, when needed in sudden emergencies involving threats to health or life, or when required for medical conditions such as continuous glucose monitoring. Agnieszka Kopacz, Poland's 2025 Teacher of the Year, commented on the storage challenges during an interview:

Research shows that students are addicted to phones. They concentrate better when those phones are not there. Another issue is that we do not have a way to store these phones.

Health education and curriculum updates

The 2026/2027 school year will also introduce mandatory health education into school schedules. Primary school students in grades four through eight will take one hour per week, while secondary school students will receive two hours weekly. Topics will cover mental well-being, healthy lifestyle habits, addiction prevention, and cyber threats. Sexual health will remain an optional separate module requiring written consent or opt-out notices.

In addition, nature classes will return to grades four through six with three hours per week, including at least two hours taught in a consecutive block. Primary school homework rules will prohibit mandatory practical and technical assignments during free time in grades four through eight. When teachers assign written homework, they will be required to check the submissions and provide direct feedback. Schools will also begin adjusting canteen menus and vending machines to meet stricter nutritional standards.

Technology investment and classroom equipment

Under the broader Kompas Jutra reform framework, the Ministry of National Education will introduce media education to teach verification skills, journalism practice, and methods to detect disinformation. To support technology integration alongside the device ban, the ministry will distribute over 700,000 laptops and tablets to schools nationwide. The program will also establish 12,000 dedicated artificial intelligence and STEM laboratories.

In an official letter marking the beginning of the school year, Minister of National Education Barbara Nowacka outlined the reform's objectives:

Knowledge remains the foundation of the teaching process; however, I care that this is knowledge that you, dear students, can use in practice and that will give a sense of agency and meaning to everyday learning.

Reform rollout timeline through 2032

The curriculum updates entering into force in September 2026 represent the first phase of an educational restructuring scheduled to run through 2032. Initial curriculum changes will take effect immediately in preschools as well as grades one and four of primary schools. Secondary schools will begin implementing the updated curricula in their first-year classes in 2027.

The final phases of the reform will restructure national examination systems. The eighth-grade exam and general high school matura will adopt the new format in 2031, followed by the technical school matura in 2032.