Sixty five percent of Poles are against the introduction of religion exams for pupils completing their end of school matriculation, a new poll has found.
The survey follows discussions on the matter last week between representatives of Poland's Roman Catholic Episcopate and the Ministry of Education, with the latter concluding against the policy.
According to the poll, which was carried out by the Homo Homini Institute for the Rzeczpospolita daily, 28 percent of respondents were for the introduction of religion as an additional exam subject in Poland's school leaving exams, known as matura and typically taken by pupils aged 19.
Currently, pupils have three compulsory subjects - Polish, Mathematics and a modern language - in their matura exams, plus six additional subjects.
Senevty two percent of Prime Minister Tusk's centre-right Civic Platform party told the pollster that they were against the exams.
Supporters of the liberal, anti-clerical Palikot's Movement party - currently the third largest grouping in parliament - were 100 percent against, while those supporting the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) were 80 percent against.
The proposal proved most popular with supporters of conservative opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) with 52 percent in favour of exams in religion.
Redakcja
