Compulsory health education in Polish schools 2026/2027: opt-out rules
Short answer: Health education is compulsory in Polish primary classes IV-VIII and two secondary classes. Parents can opt out only of the optional sexual health classes, in writing to the headteacher.
What is new in 2026/2027
Health education (edukacja zdrowotna) is now a compulsory school subject in Poland. The Ministry of Education (MEN) says the subject became obligatory on 1 September 2026, while the part on sexual health is a separate optional subject. This article is based on the ministry announcement of 23 July 2026 and on prawo.pl (28 July 2026). It is general information for parents, not legal advice.
Who has the lessons and how many
According to MEN, the compulsory subject is taught:
in primary school, one hour a week in classes IV to VIII. In class VIII the lessons run only until the end of January;
in secondary schools, meaning general secondary school (liceum), technikum and first-stage vocational school, one hour a week in two classes chosen by the headteacher: I and II, II and III, or I and III.
The annual number of hours is reduced to make room for the optional module. The reduction is 1 hour a year in each of classes IV to VI, 2 hours in classes VII and VIII, and 3 hours in each of the two secondary classes. Those hours go to the optional sexual health classes, according to MEN.
What children learn
MEN says nine of the earlier ten thematic areas remain. They are values and attitudes, physical health, physical activity, nutrition, mental health, social health, environmental health, puberty (in primary school), the internet and addiction prevention, and, in secondary schools, the health protection system. Compared with 2025/2026 the ministry added or strengthened, among other things:
evidence-based knowledge and making responsible decisions, including online;
oral hygiene;
healthy hydration;
understanding the needs of people with chronic conditions, including first aid in an epileptic seizure;
recognising violence and protecting personal boundaries in classes IV to VI;
family values, including large families, and responsibility in relationships in classes VII and VIII.
The ministry also removed overly detailed requirements on puberty and added menstrual cycle disorders in classes IV to VI.
The optional part: health education, sexual health
The sexual health content was removed from the compulsory curriculum and put into its own optional subject, "edukacja zdrowotna - zdrowie seksualne". According to prawo.pl, it is taught:
in primary school, 1 hour a year in classes IV to VI and 2 hours a year in classes VII and VIII;
in secondary schools, 3 hours a year in two classes.
Each school year, before the classes begin, the teacher and the form tutor must hold at least one information meeting for parents of underage pupils and for adult pupils (MEN, quoted by prawo.pl). The classes are not graded, and rp.pl (27 August 2026) reports that they do not affect a pupil's promotion or finishing school.
How to opt out
A parent can withdraw an underage pupil from the sexual health classes by a written statement to the headteacher. A pupil aged 18 or over decides alone and also does so in writing, according to MEN. You cannot opt out of the compulsory health education subject itself. Ranking Edukacji (28 September 2026) and other press describe the same rule.
* Photos: school buildings in Ruda Śląska and Warsaw (primary school no. 206), CC0 via Wikimedia Commons. They are illustrative.
The legal basis
MEN lists five regulations in the Journal of Laws: item 958 (kindergarten and primary curriculum), item 947 (general secondary and technikum curriculum), item 1012 (first-stage vocational schools), item 966 (how the sexual-life topics are taught) and item 1028 (framework teaching plans). Prawo.pl reported on 28 July 2026 that legislative work on the qualifications required from health education teachers was at its final stage. We did not check whether it has been finished.
What it means for foreign families
The sources describe public schools in general and say nothing separate about foreign pupils. A child enrolled in a Polish public school at the relevant level should expect these lessons. If you have questions about the optional classes, ask the form tutor or headteacher, and if you want to opt out, send the written statement in time. The sources do not give a deadline for opting out, so ask your school.
Frequently asked questions
Is health education compulsory in Poland?
Yes. Since 1 September 2026, according to MEN, it is compulsory in classes IV to VIII of primary school and in two classes of secondary school.
Can parents withdraw a child from it?
Not from the compulsory subject. They can withdraw an underage pupil from the optional sexual health classes by a written statement to the headteacher.
Are the optional classes graded?
No, according to rp.pl. They are not graded and do not affect promotion to the next class.
