Prague has launched a subsidy program for the zero grades for Ukrainian youth
photo: Vít Hassan for PrahaIN.cz/Flag of Ukraine
Schools, organizations or the city districts themselves can draw on subsidies for zero years for Ukrainian youth aged 15 to 19. I am planning courses that aim to help children integrate and master the Czech language from January to December 2023.
According to the press release sent to the media, in practice it will look like this: children will be able to attend a one-year course, which should copy the classic school year of Czech children. The course must include teaching Czech as a second language, teaching Czech history, geography, mathematics and civics. The program also includes preparation for the admission procedure and, in the last study, an emphasis on the development of the relationship of the given participants to the Czech Republic and to us.
“Prague wants to help Ukrainian young people to continue their studies at Czech secondary schools and to prepare them for the Czech language and cultural environment. For most of them, integration into the Czech education system is problematic, either because of a bad orientation in the type of schools, in terms of admission, or because of a language barrier that hinders their study ambitions. As a result, there is a risk of their poor applicability on the labor market and a higher burden on our social system,” said Vít Šimral (Piráti), Prague councilor for education, in a press release sent to the media.
According to the website eud.praha.eu Ukrainian participants of these courses will also be invited to regular Czech schools to experience for themselves what studying in the Czech Republic entails and how it works. First of all, I think about the integration of these students.
Due to the still-unending war in Ukraine, Prague decided to take these steps, which will help Ukrainian children both with integration and with the opportunity to further study the fields of their choice. These measures should increase their assumptions and subsequent application in work sectors.
However, this is not the admission of the student to study. Even if a school accepts a Ukrainian student for this course, it does not mean that they have to accept the next year for regular studies. The student also has no advantages in entrance exams.
UNICEF will provide 22.5 million crowns for these purposes.