There is no Basel model for Zurich's pre-school children

The German promotion of foreign language pre-school children in the Canton of Zurich voluntarily: The cantonal Parliament rejected on Monday a Parliamentary Initiative of the SP 101 to 59 votes, which called for the introduction of the "Basel model". The conservative majority found the concept of the Basel unfit.

The "Basel model" implies that parents can be obliged, under penalty of buses, in the collection of the language skills of their children to help. How well a child can speak German, will be resolved 18 months before entry into Kindergarten. In the case of funding, parents must demand their offspring for two half-days per week in a recognised promotion Language send-Kita. The cost for this is in Basel-city taxpayers.

"Later in the social assistance save"

the SP Would have had with your advancing success, this would have been in the Canton of Zurich: Around 20 million Swiss francs would have cost this per year.

For the SP well-invested money. "This is money that we can save later on welfare," said Monika Wicki (Zurich). Also, the Greens, the AL and the EPP supported the proposal.

For the Civil this model is, however, unsuitable. The SVP criticized above all that the costs are imposed on the state. "One should be the foreign language to oblige parents to take on this burden and not everything the General public to blame," said Rochus Burtscher (Dietikon).

EDU: residues are not reversible

Also, the FDP voted against. The experience in Basel have shown that later on in primary school not at all as hoped for less "English as a second language"lessons (DAZ). In addition, there is also today in Zurich municipalities with good deals, together with parents or without.

the EDU criticized the "Basel model" as unsuccessful. There is no evidence that the linguistic residues could be closed, said Hans Egli (Steinmaur). "Spend a lot of money but reap no return", he sums up the concept.

education Director Silvia Steiner (CVP) was also against the Parliamentary Initiative of the SP. It is undeniable that English skills are important. The government is not wool, but restrict a broader approach and only support in German. (sda)

Created: 15.04.2019, 14:04 PM