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Description
The situation of sexual education in Poland is well illustrated by the fact that no such term currently exists in the Polish education system. Classes containing elements of sexual education are conducted under the name of ‘upbringing to family life’. The programme has not changed since the 1990s, that is since this subject was introduced to Polish schools. According to the publication ‘Good Sex Ed. Sexual Education in Europe’ (2021), sex education based on reliable scientific knowledge contributes to reducing the number of sexually transmitted infections and preventing sexual violence. The aim of our project is to analyse the state of sex education in Poland, in particular the Ministry of Education and Science’s core curriculum and the way it is implemented in Polish schools. We will evaluate the quality of textbooks recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science for classes in upbringing to family life. We will carry out a survey on the state of sexual education from the perspective of school students, parents and teachers obliged to teach those classes. A report on the situation of sexual education in Poland will be published as part of the project, where we will describe the currently promoted content of sexual education, the content that is incompatible with the current state of knowledge, and the issues that are omitted but should be included in the curriculum. Based on the report, we will develop recommendations for required updates to the curriculum. We will use these recommendations in our advocacy activities with state and local institutions, such as the Ministry of Education and Science, boards of education and educational departments of local government units. The project partner is the Kvenréttindafélag Íslands from Iceland, which advocates for the equal status of women and men, LGBTQIA rights and education without discrimination.
Summary of project results
The Polish educational system lacks formal sexual education; instead, there are classes on education for family life (Family Life Education). The program of these classes was introduced in the 1990s, but since then the standards have hardly changed. Reports from non-governmental organizations have been indicating for years the low level of knowledge of young people about sexuality, which may contribute to a lower age of sexual initiation and an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies. Data from the 2014 report "Test (with) WDŻ" describe WDŻ classes as ineffective, moralizing and full of stereotypes. This is confirmed by low attendance and lack of trust in the knowledge transferred - in Krakow only one third of students declared participation in WDŻ. Textbooks lack coverage of sexual and gender diversity, and the content perpetuates traditional gender norms. An example is the description of man as the "giver of life" and woman as "soil", which reinforces outdated gender roles. LGBTQIA issues are marginal - only half of the students attending WDŻ had the opportunity to discuss them, even though statements about "identity disorders" were removed. Educational policy does not support independent sex education. The Ministry of Education promotes a Catholic perspective on sexuality, which influences the content in schools. Minister Przemysław Czarnek suggested teaching about sexuality based on papal teachings, which was met with criticism. The lack of regulation of the sex educator profession and standards translates into low substantive quality of classes and lack of monitoring of their quality. In the face of these problems, there is an increasing number of social initiatives and groups supporting home education that offer a more modern approach to teaching.
We carried out quantitative and qualitative research on sex education, including surveys, textbook analyzes and group and individual interviews. We have collected the results in a detailed report and a short brochure, also available in English. The analyzes developed allowed for the creation of an in-depth report on sexual education in Poland, which will be used in advocacy activities, especially in work with the new Minister of Education. We hope that introducing changes to the Education Superintendent in the region will help us operate more effectively in this area. During the project, we managed to undertake advocacy at the local level, submitting research results to the city authorities. We also conducted four-day workshops that helped us better understand the needs of young people and became the foundation of the social campaign. The campaign, implemented in November both in Polish cities and online, exceeded its reach goals, reaching a wide audience and engaging influencers and educators. It reached at least 1,840,555 people and had a wide response - both people involved in the topic and outsiders found it valuable, appreciating the debunking of myths and emphasizing important needs. At the end of November, we summarized the project during a congress on sexual education in Krakow, also available online, where we hosted an educator from Iceland. We also hosted a press breakfast and online conference that attracted media, LGBT youth, allies and educators. Despite restrictions related to the next wave of COVID-19, the hybrid formula enabled wide participation. The Congress was honored by representatives of the Donor States who shared their experiences, enriching our project with an international perspective.
As part of the project, we conducted comprehensive research and analyses, which resulted in a detailed report on sexual education in Poland. This report will be a key tool in advocacy efforts, especially in collaboration with the new Minister of Education and the local Education Superintendent. Already during the project, we managed to start advocacy at the local level by submitting research results to city authorities. The project had a significant impact on the participants - they not only gained knowledge, but also began to translate it into real actions, preparing to conduct subsequent social campaigns. The campaign we organized in November reached over 1.8 million people, also engaging external recipients. The campaign''s message was widely perceived as valuable, and many voices considered it a valuable source debunking myths and stereotypes regarding sexual education. Thanks to cooperation with Icelandic partners, we were able to present an international approach to inclusive education at the congress, which facilitated the exchange of experiences. The effect of these activities is to strengthen the perception of our organization as an expert in the field of sexual and inclusive education. The organization will continue to advocate for comprehensive sexuality education, and the report with the project''s results will serve as a foundation for activities and advocacy standards. Visual materials from the campaign are available to other organizations for future use. Our educational activities have also resulted in cooperation with local groups that we support in carrying out their own research and campaigns. The partnership turned out to be so fruitful that we plan to continue it, expanding it to include new projects. All project materials will be publicly available on the organization''s website, enabling their use by interested groups and organizations.
Summary of bilateral results
At the beginning, we were informed that our partner had less experience in the subject than other organizations. Therefore, at the suggestion of the partner organization, we held meetings with a number of other organizations. We met, among others, with Samtokin 78, an organization dealing with sexual education, Slagtog, which works in the field of anti-violence education, representatives of the city office, the City Councilor and teachers conducting sexual education classes. We established strong relations with organizations from the Donor States. We also used contacts with Norwegian organizations with whom we cooperated on other projects of our association. We maintain regular contact with partners who proved to be extremely helpful in obtaining key information and access to hard-to-find materials, such as textbooks and educational plans on sexual education. As part of bilateral cooperation, we invited two educators from the partner organization to the Congress, who presented solutions in the field of inclusive education on gender and sexual diversity. They also had the opportunity to establish contacts and exchange experiences with local organizations, which enriched both sides with new perspectives.