Sunday, October 22, 2006

"Let immigrants start Swedish classes again"

Published: 21st October 2006 11:16

Integration and equality minister Nyamko Sabuni has said she wants to give immigrants a second chance to learn Swedish. "When you come as a refugee you're not ready to be sat in a classroom," said Sabuni to Göteborgs-Posten.

Now she says she wants to discuss with schools minister Jan Björklund how the current rules for the state's immigrant language scheme, Swedish For Immigrants (Svenska för invandrare) can be overhauled."Everyone who has finished their course must have a chance to come back," said Sabuni.

Only 35 per cent of students who study Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) conclude the highest level of the course, according to a report released earlier this month by the Swedish National Agency for Education.One of the main reasons for the failure to complete the course is the fact that many students come to the course with no educational background.

"I think it is very important to remember that it is quite a heterogeneous group. We have many students who are illiterate when they begin the course while others have a high level of education," the agency's Eva Wirén told The Local.

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