Filenews 13 February 2021 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
What was previously applied in public schools regarding the support and integration of students with an immigrant biography into the education system did not have the desired results, which led the Ministry of Education to redesign actions and implement new projects.
The aim of the change of course is to pay more attention to students who do not have Greek as their mother tongue, so that in addition to achieving the desired level B1, all-language children are not observers in the classroom, but instead be able to communicate, participate and understand the lesson.
In presenting the new policy, Education Minister Prodromos Prodromos said that "essentially strengthening the education and integration of children with an immigrant biography is of double importance. First of all, the obvious thing is that the public school must give them an equal quality education. Not only to attend schools, but also to receive the intended education, with the best possible results.
At the same time, however, their effective participation in the educational process generally improves the functioning of the school – it gives our teachers better opportunities to teach effectively, in a proper environment" At the same time, he said that about 10,500 children in Primary Education and 6,500 in Middle Education do not have Greek as their mother tongue.
The changes that will be made from the new school year in Primary Education, as in the Middle have already started to "run" this year, are the conduct of preliminary diagnoses starting from the Pre-primary and which will be made regularly and objectively at central level evaluations of the progress of children.
Regarding the key elements of the new program that are expected to be integrated into Primary Education from the next school year are:
- Operation of Departments of Rapid Learning of the Greek Language
- Increase in the number of Primary Schools subsidised by co-financed programmes
- Increase in the time of supporting teaching given to schools that are not co-financed
- Upgrading the pedagogical role of local coordinator in THE ACTION schools
- Continuous evaluation of students and program
- Related Detailed Programs
- Teacher training
The ACTION program is expected to be extended to another 38 school units (from 52 this year to 90 next year), while at the same time there will be rapid learning departments of the Greek Language as follows:
- Students of the 1st grade (beginners) for 10 periods weekly
- Students of the 2nd - 4th grades (beginners) for 10 periods weekly
- Students of the 2nd – 4th grades (non-beginners) for 15 periods weekly
Schools that are not part of co-financed programmes such as ACTION will operate rapid learning courses of the Greek language based on the available time and the specificities of the school and will increase the teaching support time given according to composition and number of pupils, with a minimum of five periods per week.
During this school year the programmes implemented in secondary schools concern:
- Transitional classes in Gymnasiums – 14 periods of Greek (C2) in 21 schools and involving 387 students
- Transitional classes in Lyceums - 15 periods of Greek (C2) and 2 periods of Head Of Department in 3 schools and with the participation of 26 students
- Short Program 5 - 6 periods of Greek in 12 schools with 54 students
- Program of unaccompanied minors/asylum seekers in 4 Lyceums and 2 Technical Schools with 75 students.
In schools with a large number of students with an immigrant biography, there are, among other things, intensive greek (C2 level) learning courses with elements of history and culture by 14 periods per week. At the same time, there are two levels of learning the Greek language as a second language with elements of history and culture. It is noted that the evaluation of children will be carried out by special examination in Greek C2 with elements of history and culture, Mathematics and Courses.
In schools with a small number of pupils with an immigrant biography, among other things, the integration of children into a regular part of the 1st or 2nd grade, the attendance of intensive courses in the learning of Greek as a second language with elements of history and culture for 14 periods per week, support in terms of terminology and basic nuclear knowledge in the other courses under consideration as well as exemption in the courses of Young Greek, History, Ancient Greek/Archaeology, French, Geography, Religious and Design and Technology.
