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Pupils of a newly established welcome class in Berlin
Photo: Monika Skolimowska / dpa
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) wants refugee children from Ukraine to be taught in German schools as soon as possible.
"Integration into the German school system is very important," said the FDP politician on Friday when she visited a welcome class in Berlin.
This contradicts the demands of the Ukrainian side.
In a speech at the Conference of Ministers of Education two weeks ago in Lübeck, the Consul General of Ukraine in Hamburg spoke out in favor of continuing to teach the children according to the Ukrainian curriculum and not placing them in inclusive classes.
That gives the children a feeling of inferiority, Iryna Tybinka said.
'And for what?
So that they lag behind what they learn in their home country and develop a lot of unnecessary complexes?”
continuity in the educational process
Tybinka argued that the stay in Germany was only temporary and that Ukrainian students needed continuity in the educational process and maintained their national identity.
The Federal Education Minister said that the refugees had a very strong desire to return home quickly.
However, you also have to prepare for the case that they stay longer in Germany, so integration is important.
Around 500 children and young people are currently being taught in welcome classes in Berlin.
Sufficient volunteers had applied to teach, including more than 300 Ukrainian teachers with very good knowledge of German, said Berlin's Education Senator Astrid-Sabine Busse (SPD).
Overall, there are currently enough rooms and staff for around 3,000 young refugees.
Ministers of Education discuss exceptions
According to the Berlin school authorities, the integration concept provides that students without sufficient knowledge of German are taught in the welcome classes.
Those who have learned German well switch to a regular class, usually after a year at the latest.
In subjects such as music, art or sports, the children would be taught together earlier.
However, exceptions and additional offers are conceivable.
The Conference of Ministers of Education has set up a task force that coordinates issues such as the use of Ukrainian teachers, online lessons or the availability of Ukrainian textbooks.
There are many considerations, plans and talks, but nothing is final yet, said the press office of the Berlin school authority.
Currently, the intention is to place more emphasis on the mother-tongue education in Ukrainian.
"It is also being examined to what extent schoolchildren can be exempted from compulsory schooling in individual cases because they can take part in Ukrainian courses, especially with regard to exams relevant to the final exams," it said.
This may also apply to online offers.
In her speech, Consul General Tybinka emphasized that Ukraine already has completed school curricula that were made available online during the corona pandemic.
"In terms of digitization, Ukraine is an extremely modern country," she said, referring to various online platforms.
Various hosts who are currently accommodating refugees from Ukraine share this impression.
The scientist Johanna Wenckebach, for example, tweeted that the Ukrainian school children had had lessons at her home since 8 a.m.
"On-line.
From teachers in a country at war” – and further alluded to the fact that Germany hadn’t done any better during the pandemic.
With material from dpa