In Berlin, a shortage of teachers leaves hundreds of refugee children distraught

Two little Ukrainian refugees in front of the whiteboard in their class in Berlin in March 2022. AP - Markus Schreiber

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1 min

In Germany, where the start of the school year is staggered according to the Länder, millions of children have already returned to school.

In Berlin, classes reopened a week ago.

But not for several hundred refugee children, who face a shortage of teachers.

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With our correspondent in Berlin,

Berlin's population is growing, and with it the number of schoolchildren.

For weeks now, the municipality has been concerned about rising demand, overcrowded classes, a lack of premises and teachers.

The situation is particularly tense for the children of refugees who do not speak German, educated in so-called “welcome” classes, where they first learn the language before joining the regular curriculum.

At the start of the school year, 50 new classes of this type opened in the city.

However, the number of places is insufficient in almost all districts.

In Pankow, in the north of Berlin, 330 primary school pupils, including 180 little Ukrainians, are still waiting for a place in class, a week after the start of the school year.

Further east, in Marzahn, 300 students are on the waiting list.

A disaster for these children who fled their country.

The municipality in the hot seat evokes the extreme mobility of Ukrainian families, as well as the permanent arrivals from Syria or Afghanistan which would not have made it possible to plan the return to school correctly.

He urgently needs to find suitable teachers and premises.

► To read also: Romania: on the eve of the start of the school year, schools are organizing to welcome Ukrainian refugees

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