Federal Councilor Baume-Schneider threatens with power word
French only from the upper level? Elisabeth Baume Schneider threatens with the Federal Council
In several cantons, French lessons at the primary school are on the shooting list. Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume Schneider is now warning.
Many students find it difficult to do with it. Politics also struggle with French. The Appenzell Ausserrhoden cantonal council decided in March to only inform the subject from the upper level in the future. Similar political efforts run in numerous cantons, including Aargau, St. Gallen and Lucerne.
The language strategy -two foreign languages at the primary school -adopted in 2004 by the conference of the cantonal educational directorates (EDK). Little reason for the euphoria provides current test results that were collected on behalf of the EDK. At the end of the elementary school, only about half of the young people understand simple texts in French.
Now Minister of the Interior Elisabeth Baume Schneider is turning herself into the language debate. The SP Federal Councilor from the Canton of Jura warns the cantons against moving the lessons of a second foreign language to the upper level. « I think the Federal Council would have to intervene in this case, » she said on Monday in the National Council’s question time.
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It’s not just about a pedagogical question. «Multilingualism is a characteristic of Switzerland. Your care is a mandatory prerequisite for national cohesion, »says Baume cutter. Due to the latest developments, the Federal Councilor will soon meet with a delegation from the EDK.
Martin Candinas had raised. The efforts to cut a second national language from the primary school’s schedule are worried. He advocates that even the little ones continue to learn two foreign languages - and a second state language first. “It is not enough to summon national cohesion in August 1st. We have to take action, »says Candinas.
The foreign language debate is not disguised for the first time. In the summer of 2016, for example, the then Interior Minister Alain Berset (SP) threatened with a word of power if cantons were excreted and deleted French. He wanted to ensure by the federal law that a second national language would be taught at the Helvetian primary schools. After the consultation and after the canton of Thurgau had agreed to rethink the shift in French lessons, the Federal Council waived an intervention.
Meanwhile, the EDK is putting the language strategy to the test bench at the request of the Nidwaldner Education Director Res Schmid. The SVP politician advocates that the German-speaking cantons at the primary school only learn a foreign language-French from the 5th grade-and that the upper level is started with English.
