The Ministry of National Education issued an urgent announcement. Some certificates have invalid reference numbers.

Some institutions issued students graduation certificates with incorrect reference numbers. The Ministry of National Education determines the appearance of these certificates. The last update, implemented in 2023 based on a ministry regulation, mandated the use of symbols and reference numbers beginning with MEiN. Now, graduates who received incorrect certificates will be required to replace them.

Parents of students noticed errors in the certificates. Instead of the new, mandatory reference number, their children's certificates now use the abbreviation MEN instead of MEiN. Pursuant to the regulation of the Ministry of National Education of June 7, 2023, primary and secondary schools are required to issue promotional school certificates and school-leaving certificates according to the templates specified in the current regulation. The list of templates clearly indicates which reference number a given school should use. For example, primary school certificates must use the symbols MEiN-I/8/1 to MEiN-I/12-SZ/1; general secondary school certificates must use the symbols MEiN-I/16/2 to MEiN-I/18-SZ/2; technical school certificates must use the symbols MEiN-I/21/2 to MEiN-I/22-w/2, etc.

As of the 2023/2024 school year, both reference numbers could be used as a transitional period. Last school year, only the MEiN reference number was in effect.

According to concerned parents, outdated reference numbers invalidate such certificates. The situation is particularly problematic for primary school graduates who are applying to secondary schools and for university applicants.

"High schools and universities may not accept such certificates and consider them invalid. University admissions processes are ongoing, and admissions boards may require the original school leaving certificate," says one mother of this year's high school graduate from Szczecin.

In her case, the school administration replaced her certificate with a valid one. This procedure is now facing many graduates across Poland.

The Ministry of Education has already responded to reports of incorrectly printed certificates. In a statement issued on Monday, it ordered schools to immediately replace the incorrect certificates.

"Due to reports reaching the Ministry of National Education about possible erroneous school-leaving certificates issued on forms that are not secured against forgery and have an outdated symbol, we would like to remind you that in the 2024/2025 school year, primary and secondary schools are required to issue school-leaving certificates according to the templates specified in the current regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of June 7, 2023, on certificates, state diplomas and other printed documents – Journal of Laws, item 1120, as amended," we read in the announcement. "The list of templates is attached as Annex 2 to the aforementioned regulation. For primary school-leaving certificates, the symbols MEiN-I/8/1 to MEiN-I/12-SZ/1 apply. A school-leaving certificate – as a third-category public document – ​​must also include the manufacturer's name, year of production, and the individual marking of the form." If a school has issued a school leaving certificate on a form that is not secured against forgery or – using IT systems used to print certificates – has used an outdated certificate template, it should immediately replace the certificate in accordance with § 59 of the above-mentioned Regulation on certificates, state diplomas and other printed documents.

The Ministry of National Education informs that a letter reminding about the rules for issuing promotional school certificates, school-leaving certificates and completing grade sheets was sent on June 3, 2025 to all education superintendents with a request to inform schools.

However, the ministry is reassuring students. Deputy Minister of Education Katarzyna Lubnauer assured students during an interview on public television that high schools will respect false report cards.

"We will issue a notice to secondary schools telling them not to reject such certificates. Students will simply replace the documents in their portfolios when they receive the correct certificates. We have no reports of anyone rejecting such certificates. They should be accepted, and they are accepted," she emphasized.

She also added that the phenomenon is not widespread and that certificates have been exchanged in several schools.

"Either the directors or the IT specialists responsible for preparing the certificates for printing made a mistake," he claims. ©℗

Agata JANKOWSKA