German state plans to offer Ukrainian as foreign language in schools

The western German state of Hesse plans to start offering Ukrainian as a foreign language in schools, officials said on Friday.

The move is expected to make it easier for Ukrainian refugees to meet the requirements for earning an Abitur, the school leaving certificate that qualifies pupils to continue their studies at a German university.

Young Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war have repeatedly had to leave grammar school in favour of a secondary school due to the lack of a recognized second foreign language, a requirement for studying at top German high schools.

Hesse's Education Ministry said that offering Ukrainian courses in schools is also expected to help attract specialists and teachers in the future.

Although some schools elsewhere in Germany already offer Ukrainian language courses at schools, no states currently recognize the language as a second foreign language for the purpose of completing degrees.

The ministry said that there are around 20,000 Ukrainian refugees studying at schools in Hesse, as well as more than 300 Ukrainian teachers now living in the state.

Apart from English, which is widely taught in primary schools in both Germany and Ukraine, young Ukrainian refugees must learn German quickly for all lessons.

Some Ukrainian pupils at German schools could use Russian - which was widely spoken in Ukraine - as a second foreign language for upper secondary school. But the ministry said that most Ukrainians are reluctant to do so, since Russian is "the language of the enemy."

Hesse's Education Minister Armin Schwarz spoke of a "clear sign of solidarity" with Ukraine.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, described the new educational offer as "a recognition of Ukrainian as an important European language."

Makeiev said the decision will relieve the burden on young Ukrainian war refugees here "and set a good example for all other states in Germany."