Belgium: Education for young arrivals from Ukraine
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Loading... - Axel Koopman
- 19 Sep 2022
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In Belgium, approximately 30 000 refugees from Ukraine have so far registered with Fedasil, the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers. More than 40% of them are minors, and 37% are of school age. To ensure the integration of these children into the education system, a number of measures are being taken across the country.
Flemish Schools
The Flemish Minister of Education, Ben Weyts, stated that Flanders has the means to quickly provide mobile units (“container” classrooms) to increase the capacity of schools and accommodate newly arrived children from Ukraine. The OKAN system (reception level education for non-native children) exists to facilitate the school integration of these children, and the Pupil Guidance Centre provides them with psychological support. In order to overcome the shortage of teachers for these children, Weyts is considering hiring Ukrainians who are already living in Flanders and already speak Dutch. The Flemish government is providing additional resources to schools hosting these children, as well as covering the cost of any temporary modules created to promote and support their learning. Finally Flanders, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, will provide accessible Ukrainian language education for refugees.
Francophone Schools
The DASPA system (reception and schooling system for newcomers and assimilated pupils) is adapting to handle exceptional increases in the number of newcomers during the school year, Minister of Education of the Francophone Community Caroline Désir explained. Schools faced with this sort of exceptional increase can ask for the creation of a new DASPA, or request additional staff if already organising a DASPA. Teaching resources have been made available in order to support teachers discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine with their students. Read More...
