thumb|200px|[[Ignacy Massalski, Bishop of Vilnius and the first chairman, was removed from this post in 1776 because of alleged financial misdemeanour; he subsequently became a leading member of the Targowica Confederation]]

thumb|200px|[[Hugo Kołłątaj reformed Cracow Academy during 1777–1780]]

thumb|200px|[[Ignacy Potocki – chairman of the Society for Elementary Books]]

The Commission of National Education (, KEN, ) was the central educational authority in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, created by the Sejm and King Stanisław II August on October 14, 1773. Because of its vast authority and autonomy, it is considered the first education ministry in European history and an important achievement of the Polish Enlightenment.

{| class=wikitable

! Member !! Other posts !! Time of membership !! Notes

|-

| Ignacy Massalski || Bishop of Vilnius || 1773–1792 || President until 1786

|-

| Michał Poniatowski || Bishop of Plock, Primate of Poland (from 1784) || 1773–1792 || President from 1786

|-

| August Sułkowski || Voivode of Gniezno, Voivode of Kalis, Voivode of Poznań || 1773–1786 ||

|-

| Joachim Chreptowicz || Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania, PLC minister of foreign affairs (from 1791) || 1773–1786 ||

|-

| Ignacy Potocki || Grand Clerk of Lithuania, Grand Marshal of Lithuania, PLC minister of police (from 1791) || 1773–1791 ||

|-

| Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski || General Starosta of Podolia, Commander of Cadet Corps || 1773–1792 ||

|-

| Andrzej Zamoyski || former Great Chancellor of the Crown || 1773–1783 ||

|-

| Antoni Poniński || Starosta of Kopanica || 1773–1777 ||

|-

| Andrzej Mokronowski || general inspector, Voivode of Mazovia (from 1781) || 1776–1784 ||

|-

| Jacek Małachowski || Referendary of the Crown, Deputy Chancellor the Crown || 1776–1783 ||

|-

| Franciszek Bieliński || Starosta of Czersk || 1776–1783 ||

|-

| Stanisław Poniatowski || Grand Treasurer of Lithuania (1784–1790) || 1776–1792 ||

|-

| Michał Mniszech || Secretary of Lithuania (from 1778), Grand Marshal of the Crown (from 1783) || 1777–1783 || replaced A. Poniński

|-

| Szczęsny Potocki || Voivode of Ruthenia, General of Artillery of the Crown || 1783–1792 || replaced J. Małachowski

|-

| Maciej Garnysz || Bishop of Chelmno, Deputy Chancellor the Crown || 1783–1790 || replaced F. Bieliński

|-

| Antoni Małachowski || Grand Clerk of the Crown, Voivode of Mazovia || 1783–1792 || replaced A. Zamoyski

|-

| Michał Radziwiłł || Castellan of Vilnius, Voivode of Vilnius || 1783–1792 || replaced M. Mniszech

|-

| Ignacy Przebendowski || Starosta of Soleck || 1785–1791 || replaced A. Mokronowski

|-

| Feliks Oraczewski || || 1786–1792 ||

|-

| || Bishop of Kiev || 1791–1792 || replaced M. Garnysz

|-

| Antoni Lanckoroński || || 1791–1792 || three together replaced J. Chreptowicz, I. Potocki and I. Przebendowski

|-

| Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz || || 1791–1792 || three together replaced J. Chreptowicz, I. Potocki and I. Przebendowski

|-

| Ludwik Gutakowski || || 1791–1792 || three together replaced J. Chreptowicz, I. Potocki and I. Przebendowski

|}

Notes

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Further reading

  • Gorecki, Danuta M. "The Commission of National Education and Civic Revival through Books in Eighteenth-Century Poland." Journal of Library History 15.2 (1980): 138–166.
  • KEN in Polish State Archives
  • Polish Ministry of Education