Thuringia: Holter: Up to 10,000 Ukrainian students expected

Erfurt (dpa/th) - According to a forecast, up to 10,000 Ukrainian schoolchildren are expected in Thuringia by the end of the year.

Thuringia: Holter: Up to 10,000 Ukrainian students expected

Erfurt (dpa/th) - According to a forecast, up to 10,000 Ukrainian schoolchildren are expected in Thuringia by the end of the year. "This is a challenge of new proportions," said Education Minister Helmut Holter (left) on Thursday before the start of the new school year next week. Since March, almost 3,200 girls and boys from Ukraine have been admitted to schools in the Free State. In larger cities such as Erfurt and Jena in particular, the possibilities for admission are exhausted.

In order to ensure the lessons for the newly arrived students, nine school classes have currently been set up, and 16 more are currently being prepared. Classes would also be increased to up to 30 students. Additional rooms and staff are therefore necessary, said the minister. Among other things, he announced the temporary hiring of assistants to support and relieve teachers.

In Thuringia, after six weeks of summer vacation, classes will start again next Monday for more than 251,000 students and around 17,000 teachers. According to the minister, 396 new teachers have been hired on a permanent basis for the new school year. In the past school year there were 1021 new hires, including 240 lateral entrants.