Polish university-student volunteers to undergo military training
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
22.08.2017 08:30
Military training for willing tertiary students is set to start in October, with a deal between the defence and higher education ministries signed in Warsaw on Monday, as Poland strives to boost its military amid fears of Russian aggression.
Photo: Wistula/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Under the deal, students and universities can volunteer to take part in a pilot programme of 30 hours of lectures from October to June, and training exercises during vacation.
Deputy Defence Minister Michał Dworczyk said 10,000 places have been prepared for next year, adding that Poland's defence force needs to build reserves.
He said reserves had dwindled since mandatory service was abolished about ten years ago, and that there would be no reserve soldiers to back up the army if Poland were to mobilise in a few years.
The programme is expected to cost some PLN 200 million (EUR 46 million) in the next academic year.
Dworczyk said the funds would cover training, exercises, uniforms, and a daily wage of PLN 90 during vacation-time drills.
He added that 45 percent of students were keen on the drills.
Meanwhile, Poland a few months ago swore its first soldiers into the Territorial Defence Army (WOT), a new volunteer force set up amid fears of Russian aggression.
The WOT is charged with complementing the regular military and teaching patriotism and commitment to local communities.
The ministry wants the WOT to be nearly 53,000 strong in 2019. It estimates that the cost of establishing and maintaining the forces between 2016-19 will be PLN 3.6 billion.
Last year, Poland's defence minister pledged to boost the army by 50 percent over the coming years. (vb)
Source: IAR