Anthony is the first: The 14-year-old student at a Polish school practices shooting with a replica of the American AR-15 assault rifle. A small green dot from the laser rifle silently appears on the postcard-sized target. “Exact hit”, the teacher praises him.
This is how a report by the Swiss newspaper “Neue Zürcher Zeitung“ (NTZ) from the Polish town of Pruszków begins. The school is happy to have a teacher who knows how to handle firearms: Małgorzata Kruszynska served in the army. Three years ago, she signed up as a volunteer to learn how to shoot.
One lesson a week
“There is a war going on in Ukraine, we must be prepared if it spreads to Poland“, the school's director, Miroslava Sliwinska, told the publication, specifying that the school is about to purchase more rifles.
In the eighth and ninth grades, students aged 14 to 15 receive both theoretical and practical training in handling weapons. “Safety Training“ was introduced in 2023, and shooting training is now mandatory. The Polish government justifies the new compulsory subject for young people by saying that all of Poland must be prepared to defend itself, writes the German newspaper Die Welt.
The German public broadcaster MDR notes in a report from a secondary school in Ilzha, southeastern Poland, that students are not only taught how to handle weapons, but also discipline, precision and a sense of responsibility. "If we find ourselves in an extreme situation, thanks to these lessons we will be able to handle weapons", says a 15-year-old student from Ilzha. And his shooting instructor adds: "We all see what is happening beyond our border. I think it is a good idea for everyone, not just children, to undergo such basic training."
General military training for all adults
And indeed: the Polish government wants to increase the defensive capabilities of not only young people. Just months after Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the Polish army has launched a general military training program, which will now be followed by voluntary basic military training for all adult Poles. The program is aimed primarily at men, but the Defense Ministry emphasizes that women are also welcome, the Swiss NCC reports.
For a long time, Poles have had little interest in military matters. Since 2009, national defense has been entrusted to a professional army. However, and as a consequence of the Russian intervention in Donbas and Crimea, the then PiS government created a military auxiliary force - the so-called “Territorial Defense”. And after the shock of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022, additional programs were launched to increase the population’s knowledge and skills for defense - first for adults, and now in schools.
"Holiday with the Army"
From the summer of 2024, high school students, students and adults up to the age of 35 have the opportunity to enroll in a basic defense course called "Holiday with the Army". It lasts about a month, and participants receive a salary of about 1,500 euros, which is a decent amount, especially for young people and students. The vacation defense course can be attended in various real army units, both in the infantry and in the navy or even in a missile unit.
In addition to shooting, grenade throwing, survival techniques and first aid, course participants also study army tactics. They also learn to drive military vehicles. The training ends with an oath-taking, after which those who wish can join the "Territorial Defense" forces or enter the regular professional army.