Antwerp: Teaching Arabic in schools

Robert Voorhamme, an Antwerp politician in charge of education, is suggesting giving immigrant kids language lessons in their own language. As a test case, he suggests to start off a school where the lessons would be given in Dutch and in addition the kids would improve their knowledge of their mother tongue – Arabic or Berber. He also suggests giving a full year of Dutch immersion after elementary school to those kids who need it, and to postpone French studies till later.

According to Voorhamme, 40% of the kids in elementary schools in Antwerp speak a language other than Dutch at home, and in some places the percentages can go up to 60% or more.

Source: De Standaard (Dutch)

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