Proposal for Separate Classes for Refugee Children Sparks Debate in Germany
Ahead of the state elections scheduled to take place in Germany in September, the education policy proposals prepared by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) for Saxony-Anhalt have sparked public debate. The party’s programme includes measures such as relaxing compulsory school attendance, educating refugee children in separate classes, and ending inclusive education practices.
The programme proposes giving families the right to choose between sending their children to school and educating them at home. The AfD justifies this proposal by claiming that political views are being imposed on children in schools. Legal experts, however, emphasize that compulsory school attendance is intended not only to provide academic knowledge but also to help children develop social skills, learn tolerance towards different opinions, and participate in society.
One of the most controversial proposals in the programme is the permanent placement of refugee and asylum-seeking children in separate classes. According to legal assessments, assigning students to separate classes on the basis of criteria other than their language proficiency may conflict with the right to education and the prohibition of discrimination. Experts warn that excluding refugee children from the mainstream education system for extended periods could have negative consequences for both the students and society.
The AfD also plans to end the inclusive education model, in which students with and without disabilities learn together, and to direct students with disabilities to special education schools. Legal experts stress that inclusive education is not an “experiment” but an international obligation that states are required to fulfil under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Experts note that state governments may have the authority to implement certain changes concerning curricula and school administration. However, measures such as permanently separating refugee students and abandoning inclusive education could conflict with constitutional and international law.