Meeting at the Office of the CHR on schools for national and ethnic minorities, mainly Belarusian
Date:
On 29 May 2025, a meeting was held at the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights to discuss the functioning of schools for national and ethnic minorities. Particular emphasis was placed on the situation of the Belarusian minority.
The meeting was attended by: Justyna Jarmocik, Deputy Starost of Hajnówka County, Nina Łukasik, Head of the Social Affairs Department of the County Office in Hajnówka, Anatol Wap, Director of the Belarusian Cultural Centre in Białystok, Igor Łukaszuk, Director of Secondary School No. 2 with Additional Belarusian Language Instruction in Hajnówka, as well as Dorota Romaniuk, Chair of the Parents' Council of that school, and her deputy, Julita Koroluk.
The Office of the Ombudsman was represented by Magdalena Kuruś, Director of the Equal Treatment Department, Marcin Kusy, Head of Unit of Migrants' and National Minorities' Rights, and Jagna Krotoska.
The discussion focused on the issues arising from inconsistent regulations regarding minority education. These inconsistencies have led to significant challenges in organising the teaching of the Belarusian language in separate schools, which has had a negative impact on the situation of minorities and the operation of schools where all pupils are required to study this language.
https://bip.brpo.gov.pl/pl/content/brpo-spotkanie-szkolnictwo-mniejszosci-narodowych-bialoruskie
