Many foreign children still without school places - 853 Immigrant Children in Saxony Start School Year Without a Place
In Saxony, 853 children from immigrant backgrounds started the school year without a place, highlighting the need for improved planning and support. Claudia Maaß, deputy chair of the Education and Science Workers’ Union (GEW), has called for reserve school places and better language support.
Maaß argued that legally mandated language support, such as German-as-a-second-language (DaZ) instruction, is often not provided, especially in rural schools with teacher shortages. Starting from 2025/2026, newly arrived first-graders will be enrolled directly in first grade at their local primary school, but immediate integration into regular classes with additional DaZ instruction may be necessary if preparatory classes lack capacity.
The Bavarian State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs has proposed establishing reserve school places starting in 2024/2025 to respond more quickly to such situations in the future. Maaß demanded the expansion of training and hiring for DaZ specialists and the integration of teaching German as a second language into teacher training programs to ensure adequate language skills and support for successful integration into mainstream education. The Saxon Ministry of Education has implemented digital registration for newly arrived children and adolescents since March 2024 to streamline the enrollment process.
The lack of school places for children from immigrant backgrounds in Saxony has prompted calls for better planning and support. Proposals for reserve school places and improved language support aim to ensure these children can access education promptly and successfully integrate into mainstream classrooms.
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