At the beginning of 2024, the Civic Platform election campaign took the form of a political performance. Donald Tusk, the then candidate for the prime minister, took advantage of the emotional situation of one primary school student – the so -called Maciek from Włocławek – to promise the abolition of homework. Entries published on Platform X (formerly Twitter) sounded clearly: “Maciek arranged! End of compulsory housework”.
The Prime Minister published a film in which he asks from the Hall of the Council of Ministers: “Do you remember Maciek?” And announces “ordering a break from homework forever”. The decision had a symbolic, but also legislative dimension – it became one of the points of the “100 specifics per 100 days of government” program.
The Minister of Education Barbara Nowacka, appointed to implement this announcement, signed a regulation on March 22, 2024, which entered into force on April 1. According to it, domestic works in grades I -III were completely abolished, and in grades IV -VIII were considered voluntary and non -assessment. On the website of the 10th Minister Nowacka, she announced: “Homework in primary schools will be optional. Today I signed a regulation.” A week later she added: “Homework is not prohibited, but they are not obligatory.”
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The problem is that This decision was not preceded by consultations with pedagogical, scientific, or parents. As Minister Nowacka herself admitted on TVN24, The reform was consulted “primarily with young people”. In practice, this means giving up the procedures provided for system changes, which can be considered as a violation of the principles of correct legislation resulting from the Polish Constitution and the Act on the legislative activities of the government.
Teachers' reactions were unambiguous: the abolition of compulsory homework was considered a destructive step towards the current teaching model. In the study of the voice of the teaching and opera, over 80 percent educators indicated that this decision weakens the educational system, disturbs work habits and hits children from families with lower cultural capital. The headmaster of Maciek said: “It even chilled me …”, pointing to the political pressure that the institution felt.
Lack of compulsory homework quickly brought negative effects: a decrease in the level of independence of students, a decrease in the systematic of education, as well as the weakness of the Teacher's Cooperation. In response to the lack of tasks, teachers began to organize cards massively, which led to an increase in the stress and mental load of students. The Opera report of June 2025 indicates that as much as 78 percent Mathematics and natural science teachers and foreign languages recorded the deterioration of results.
See also: A small mistake, a big problem. Students received error certificates
Are there premises for constitutional responsibility?
From the point of view of constitutional and administrative law The actions of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Minister Barbara Nowacka may meet the conditions of constitutional responsibility within the meaning of Art. 198 of the Polish Constitution. This provision provides that for violation of the constitution or law, in connection with the position held, constitutional responsibility is incurred, among others Prime Minister and members of the Council of Ministers.
The allegations can be specified on the basis of:
1. Art. 2 of the Polish Constitution – The principle of a democratic state of law and social justice. The actions of the Minister of Education undertaken arbitrarily, without real social dialogue, violate the principle of a reliable legislative process.
2. Art. 7 of the Polish Constitution – The principle of legalism. The issue of a regulation in isolation from reliable factual and consultation grounds may be considered as exceeding the competence of the executive body.
3. Art. 70 para. 4 of the Polish Constitution – Obligation to ensure equal access to education. The reform deepens unevenness, favorable to children from educational support houses.
In addition, violation of statutory provisions:
4. Teacher's Card, art. 6 – depriving teachers' possibilities of performing didactic tasks by limiting their methodical autonomy.
5. Educational law, art. 1 – failure to achieve the objectives of the education system: comprehensive development of students and equalizing opportunities.
6. Act on the Council of Ministers, art. 6 – failure to fulfill the obligation to implement laws and ensure their performance in a manner consistent with the public interest.
All of the above activities may be classified as a gross violation of constitutional and statutory duties of members of the Council of Ministers. They are also important from the point of view of the public interest. Although art. 198 of the Polish Constitution does not use the concept of “social damage”, it is both in the doctrine and case -law that the premise for the application of constitutional liability is a violation of a significant species burden.
In the light of the above, you should seriously consider the legitimacy of directing a state of Donald Tusk and Barbara Nowacka before the tribunal. Constitutional responsibility should not be an only formal instrument – it should be a real tool for protecting public interest.
Finally, as parents and citizens, we call for immediate restoration homework as a compulsory element of the curriculum From September 1, 2025, this is a minimal condition for restoring educational equality, school discipline and the sense of the mission of the teacher's profession.
Author: Grzegorz Prigan, lawyer, partner at the Laurifer office in Wrocław.
