From Hildburg Bruns
White containers in a parking lot. A sober place. But for over 600 children a chance to learn, play and meet.
The emergency school in Tegel. Since this week it has opened for the small refugees from the Ukraine. Maria (9) from Cherson grabs a brush and paints blue water. Niid (9) is looking forward to making friends, so far he has only had online school on his laptop. And Jana (8) from Odessa practices outside with hula hop hoops.
Jana (8) from Odessa can swing hula hop hoops just fine. She has lived in Tegel since May 30th Photo: Olaf Selchow
They were all supposed to stay with their mums in the Tegel arrival center (Terminal C, eight lightweight halls) for just a few days – but on average it has been four months in bunk beds.
Here is cramming. Four hours of German lessons are on the timetable for older children Photo: Olaf Selchow
“During my first visit four weeks ago, it was clear that we had to provide age-appropriate offers quickly and specifically,” says Senator for Education Katharina Günther-Wünsch (40, CDU) during her opening visit. Freelancers were quickly hired for the care. The offer is initially available for six months, continuation is possible. Cost: 3.5 million euros.
Senator Günther-Wünsch (r) painted flowers with Justina (9) and her mother Nataliia. Mother and daughter were initially in Poland and have been in Tegel since February
The “Kiezküche” starts with breakfast, then German is learned. Four hours a day. Older people can study hip-hop and street dance with dancer Hakim (32).
Dancer Hakim Mohamud (32) rehearses a few steps with Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch and Cansel Kiziltepe (l). Photo: Olaf Selchow
At the opening, he rehearsed briefly with two female senators. “Oh my God. We can do that now too,” giggled School Senator Günther-Wünsch – and practiced the first steps and turns with Social Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (47, SPD).
Sofia (8) and Lisa (8, left) are in the “Fit for school” group. It all started with making frogs out of paper and balloons Photo: Olaf Selchow
There are now 914 welcome classes for children from Ukraine across the city. They originally started with 12 students, today there are often 15. “We may have to expand,” says Günther-Wünsch. Not an easy step, because many students have experienced war and violence directly.
The current arrival figures: From January to May, 7474 people were registered in Tegel (not including those who traveled on). Currently, 50 people are registered in Tegel for Berlin every day and 37 are forwarded to other federal states. Currently 2517 places are occupied – with a slight decrease.