The changes in the ministry responsible for education are the result of the decree of the Council of Ministers of December 16, 2023: on the creation of the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
The Ministry of National Education will be headed by Barbara Novacka, while the Ministry of Science and Higher Education will be headed by Dariusz Wiezorek.
The Ministry of Education and Science was created on January 1, 2021 by merging two ministries: the Ministry of National Education and Science and the Ministry of Higher Education. It was directed by Przemyław Čarnek.
Representatives of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the President of the Polish Science Foundation and the Chairman of the Central Council of Science and Higher Education were in favor of separating the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Science. A similar position was taken by the Conference of Rectors of Polish Academic Schools.
Separation of the ministry
The idea of a MEiN split emerged during coalition talks held in October and November by the Civic Platform, Third Way and the Left.
From the beginning, Barbara Novacka was thought to be the Minister of National Education. One of his first decisions was to fire Barbara Nowak, Malopolska's superintendent of education.
On the other hand, Dr. Karolina Ziolo-Pujuk was considered by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. In the end, this ministry fell to left-wing politician Dariusz Wichorek.
The composition of the government
Donald Tusk's new government looks like this:
Donald Tusk – President of the Council of Ministers,
Vladislav Kosiniak-Kamish – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of National Defense,
Krzysztof Gavkowski – Vice-President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Digitalization,
Adam Bodnar – Minister of Justice,
Radoslav Sikorsky – Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Adam Shlapka – Minister of European Union Affairs,
Marcin Kierwinski – Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration,
Tomas Simoniak – coordinator of special services,
Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz – Minister of Culture and National Heritage,
Andrzej Domanski – Minister of Finance,
Boris Budka – Minister of State Property,
Slavomir Nitras – Minister of Sports and Tourism,
Barbara Nowachka – Minister of Education,
Izabela Leshchina – Minister of Health,
Dariush Klimchak – Minister of Infrastructure,
Krzysztof Hetman – Minister of Development and Technology,
Czeslaw Siekierski – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,
Paulina Hennig-Kloska – Minister of Climate and Environment Protection,
Michal Kobosko – Minister of Funds and Regional Policy,
Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Beck – Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy,
Dariusz Wiezorek – Minister of Science and Higher Education,
Marzena Okla-Drevnovich – Minister of Higher Politics,
Katarzina Kotuli – Minister of Equality,
Agnieszka Buczynska – Minister of Civil Society,
Jan Grabiec – Head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery
Maciej Berek — Minister, member of the Council of Ministers.