Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - According to NRW School Minister Dorothee Feller, there will be no "German obligation" in schoolyards in North Rhine-Westphalia. "In North Rhine-Westphalia there is no obligation to use the German language on school premises outside of class hours," said the CDU politician in response to a small query from the SPD opposition in the state parliament.
With the request, the SPD referred to an initiative by CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja. In January, he said in a "Welt" interview: "It's not okay for languages other than German to be spoken in the schoolyard." Otherwise, parallel societies would arise in the schools. He pleaded for mandatory courses for children before they start school, provided they do not speak German.
Minister Feller explained the process in NRW as follows: If a child who does not attend a daycare center does not have sufficient command of the German language when the language level is determined two years before starting school, it should be obliged under the NRW Education Act to take part in a pre-school language remedial course.
Feller emphasized the importance of knowledge of German as an important prerequisite for a successful educational career and active participation in society. "At the same time, multilingualism is the reality of many of the North Rhine-Westphalian schoolchildren," said the CDU minister. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, there are native language lessons in around 30 languages. In addition to mastering German, the diversity of languages in society, business, administration and education is "valuable capital that opens up additional opportunities for people".
