The Southeast Adult Education Center supports refugees from the Ukraine, regardless of their nationality, in learning the German language. The educational institution offers beginner courses at an intensive and calmer pace for adults and partly also for children. “First of all, we want to fill up existing courses,” says Elisabeth Stein, head of the German as a foreign and second language department and deputy head of the facility. For example, they want to include people who work here and want to learn German quickly in the integration courses. People who want to learn the essentials first, for example to be able to go shopping, could find a place in the normal German courses.
In the same way, Stein and her colleagues can imagine creating German courses for mothers and their children if they cannot go to school or a childcare facility straight away. “We’re using the experience we gained with the refugees in 2015 to set something up,” says Stein. Interested parties can register on 089/442 38 90. The adult education center becomes active, although the financing of such courses has not been clarified. According to Stein, some things are under examination. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees is currently investigating the extent to which it issues integration course certificates. An inquiry is also pending at the district office. Despite the unclear situation, the educational institution gets started. “We’ve decided we’ll start with everyone. We’ll manage that. If necessary, we’ll finance the courses ourselves,” says Stein. In 2015, when many refugees arrived in the district and were housed in gymnasiums and air domes, some donations were initially paid. The courses should take place in the rooms of the adult education center. According to Stein, however, people would be happy if rooms were made available for morning offers, since their own are largely occupied.