Safety drills twice a year and information on shelters: Polish ministry publishes a draft

What happened

On 16 October 2026 the Ministry of National Education (MEN) published a draft amendment to the regulation on safety and hygiene in public and non-public schools and institutions (rozporządzenie w sprawie bezpieczeństwa i higieny). The draft went to other ministries for agreement, to organisations for their opinion and to public consultation. The ministry asked for comments within 14 days.

For now this is a proposal, not a rule in force. The changes would apply only after the regulation is signed and published in Dziennik Ustaw (Poland's official journal of laws) — according to the draft, 14 days after publication. The text may still change after the consultation.

What the ministry proposes

The current regulation already requires, among other things, that the evacuation plan hangs in a visible place and that escape routes are clearly marked. The draft adds duties for the dyrektor (head teacher):

• within 3 months of the start of classes in each school year, make pupils and staff familiar with the evacuation plan; in 2026/2027 the deadline would be 31 March 2027;
• display emergency phone numbers in a visible place;
• pass on to pupils, parents of under-18 pupils and staff information on how to act in an emergency, using only official websites and materials from civil protection bodies;
• together with the organ prowadzący (the school's governing body, usually the municipality or county), organise a training session and a practical drill for different threats at least twice per school year;
• in agreement with the local civil protection authority, tell pupils and staff where the collective protection facilities and shelter points are.

Why

In its justification the ministry cites a 2021 report by NIK (Poland's Supreme Audit Office), which found that having procedures is not enough and that pupils and staff need practical preparation. Drills are meant to cover different scenarios — not only fire, but also, for example, a threat from an outsider or extreme weather — and the information on shelters concerns natural disasters, terrorist incidents and armed conflict.

What parents can do now

There is no need to wait for new rules to talk to your child about safety. A calm conversation reduces stress when an alarm goes off at school.

• Ask your child whether they know the way out of the building and where the assembly point is.
• Remind them that the Europe-wide emergency number is 112.
• At a parents' meeting or through the e-dziennik (electronic gradebook), ask the form teacher when the school plans drills and how it informs parents.
• Keep the tone matter-of-fact: a drill is practice, not a reason to be afraid.

What is still unknown

It is not known when the regulation will be signed or whether its content will change after the consultation. The draft also does not set out a detailed drill scenario — the head teacher prepares it together with the governing body. We will report on the final version once it is published.