From the start of the new school year, Polish pupils will learn to shoot as part of their classes. The regulation, which was signed by the Minister of Education and Science Przemyslaw Czarnek, also envisages extending the content of teaching to include the importance of cyber threats and preparation for rescue operations in emergency situations. A transitional period of two school years has been provided for shooting classes.

The growing threat to the state’s security requires supplementing the educational goals and content of the Education for Security subject with issues related to state defence, the acquisition of shooting skills and preparing students to deal with threats caused by warfare and the basics of tactical rescue.

In the case of shooting training at primary schools, pupils will primarily learn how to handle weapons safely and their lessons will be theoretical. In secondary schools, on the other hand, pupils will learn the basics of shooting with a practical part conducted with the use of safe tools for shooting practice, such as e.g. ball guns, air guns, replicas small arms ASG, virtual or laser shooting ranges.

According to the regulation, the teaching content will be expanded to include the identification of challenges to individual and collective security, the importance of cyber threats in the civilian dimension, and preparation for rescue operations in emergency situations (mass accidents and disasters).

The ministry establishes a two-year transition period for the introduction of firearm training in schools. Shooting instruction in schools will be introduced from September 2022, but the regulation will not take full effect until the 2024/2025 school year.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński