News item | 04-04-2022 | 06:00
Temporary educational facilities for children from Ukraine will start today at various locations in the country. After their flight from the war, several hundred students are again taught for the first time in Arnhem and Ederveen, among others. Minister Wiersma for Primary and Secondary Education will open these facilities.
Minister Wiersma: ,,If you come to the Netherlands from a war and have had to leave home and hearth, you want to rebuild a safe and normal life as soon as possible. Playing with friends again and getting lessons again are part of that. These temporary educational facilities are an important addition to the existing newcomer schools. In this way, Ukrainian children can be taught again.”
Language lessons, mental well-being and subject lessons
The temporary facilities are intended for primary and secondary school pupils. They are set up in regions where there is insufficient space in the existing newcomer schools or special classes.
Roughly a third of the time, pupils are taught the Dutch language at temporary educational facilities. In addition, a third of the time there is attention for their mental well-being and they receive support in processing trauma and sports lessons, for example. This is important, because good learning only works if you feel good about yourself. The rest of the time they take subject lessons, such as arithmetic and mathematics.
Connection with the home country
Depending on the needs of the students, part of the lessons are given in Ukrainian or English. Some also follow digital lessons from their Ukrainian school and can, for example, also take their exam digitally. In this way, the students become familiar with the Netherlands and maintain their bond with their home country. Where possible, teachers from Ukraine are also deployed, such as in Arnhem. The temporary educational facilities will remain open at least until the summer.
More locations
Children and young people can also take lessons at other temporary locations, such as in Eindhoven and Hengelo. In Amstelveen, Ukrainian students have been taking lessons in such a temporary education facility since last week.
Customized funding for schools
Schools that provide education to Ukrainian pupils and other newcomers and the temporary educational facilities can receive funding for this, the so-called Newcomer Funding. This depends on the number of newcomers to a school. The regular newcomer funding is paid four times a year on the basis of four reference dates. Because the number of Ukrainian students in a school can change quickly, schools can now report on a monthly basis how many newcomers they teach. The funding is adjusted accordingly and is therefore more tailored to the schools.
Information for schools and municipalities
Schools and municipalities that have questions about the education of Ukrainian students can now contact www.onderwijsvooroekraine.nl† There they can find a lot of information about, for example, organizing lessons, deploying teachers from Ukraine, and about teaching materials.