Poland's Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Education have teamed up to launch a program in which soldiers visit schools to teach children about emergency preparedness.
Just over 3,000 schools have signed up for the scheme, entitled 'Education through the Armed Forces'. The course consists of his three classes over six weeks, during which soldiers are taught the basics of emergency medical care, where to find shelter, and how to act in an emergency situation.
The program, which is currently in the pilot phase, is a “response to modern security needs, challenges and threats,” the MoD said. Classes begin this Monday and will continue until June 20th.
Edukacja z wojskiem to 6-tygodniowy program edukacyjno-obronny. The program is the information necessary to realize całej Polsce. 6 Maya Ruzayan Piersche Shkorenia. W Pilot Uziau weźmie około 3500 szkół.https://t.co/FPeQDpSDMe#EdukacjaZWojskiem 🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/1oYGbNsInn
— WCR Warsaw Mokotow (@WCRWwaMok) May 5, 2024
“Security is not only about a well-equipped military, but also the strength and resilience of a society,” said Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamisz. “From daycare centers to seniors, everyone needs to be prepared for a variety of challenges.”
The minister went on to say that “safety and emergency preparedness need to be something we are familiar with” and that part of the role of schools is to provide the necessary support to deal with emergencies. It is about imparting skills to children, he added.
Education Minister Barbara Nowaka said the program aims to “build young people's resilience” as well as “cultivate a patriotic attitude and learn skills that will be useful at any point in life.”
“Patriotism is the attitude of acting for one's homeland… serving one's country and one's neighbor,” Nowacka said. “In the chaotic world we live in, this resilience, knowledge and awareness that each person knows how to cope and help others is so important.”
Wczoraj Zespół #gorzno odwiedzili żołnierze 4 Brodnickiego Pułku Chemicznego, którzy przeprowadzili zajęcia w ramach program #edukajazzłojskiem.Jonielze #vojkopolsky 🇵🇱 przeprowadzili próbną ewakuację oraz uczyli najmłodszych udzielania pierwszej pomocy. program… pic.twitter.com/glf5zsLL8Z
— Minister Tsu Obrony Narodwezi 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) May 8, 2024
“We are teaching practical skills that cannot be read in textbooks,” Beata Skusevic, principal of a primary school in Toruń, where classes have already begun, told public broadcaster TVP.
“It’s more interesting to meet people who talk about it and present it,” Skrusewicz said. “And you can try and practice on your own.”
A soldier from the 6th Masovian Territorial Defense Brigade, who teaches at a primary school in the town of Pionki, told local news website Pionki24 that the children “are also learning a little bit about life in the barracks.” [and] I hope that this will lead to more people joining the group in the future. ”
In recent years, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Poland has sought to strengthen its defense and emergency preparedness. The country spent almost 4% of its GDP on defense last year, the highest relative figure among NATO countries.
The government ordered a survey of available shelters in 2022, and last year launched an online service to help people find the nearest shelter in an emergency.
Earlier this year, Warsaw announced a 117 million zloty (27 million euro) program to improve the capital's emergency preparedness, including a better shelter system.
Notes from Poland is published by an independent nonprofit foundation, run by a small editorial team and funded by donations from readers. Our activities would not be possible without your support.
Main image credit: Minister 2 Obrony Narodwezi / twitter.com
Alicja Ptak is a senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.