Teaching Ethics at School according to the Assumptions of a Changing Program Basis

Abstract

In recent years the number of Polish schools, in which the subject “ethics” is taught, has been dynamically growing. Since the number of recipients of ethical contents has been growing as well, the demand is ever greater for the abilities to redirect children and young people to religion classes, and if - for whatever reason - they cannot attend them, it is necessary to lead them to ethics lessons. A young man subject to obligatory education at present needs coherent tools and elements to build his personal moral model. In the documents issued by the ministry responsible for education and upbringing leading contents and aims of teaching ethics at school are contained and they are exposed on the basis of changes in the law concerning education. Especially Podstawa programowa (Program basis) shows organizational and ideological directives for teaching ethics on all the education stages. The proposed contents of the classes are concerned with ethical and philosophical issues. Pupils have a chance to acquaint themselves with the moral law, the moral imperative, the natural law, and the moral good. The ministerial proposition orders one to exercise the ability to discern values and to be guided by the conscience in one’s life, as well as to solve moral dilemmas at the age of moral crisis. However, it is worth remembering that ethics as a subject alternative to religion at school has a decidedly smaller number of students. This is a result of Polish educational community being rooted in the Christian tradition. Supporting ethics lessons for those who will not make the decision to participate in denominational lessons of the Roman-Catholic religion, efforts should be made so that students will not rashly give up religion lessons they attended formerly. This can be done by raising the quality of religious education and of the teachers’ competences.