"Russian instruction at the high school is temporarily suspended for a full academic year"
In a surprising turn of events, the interest in Russian language classes at Templin Gymnasium has seen a significant drop, with only 18 out of 92 seventh graders choosing to learn the language in the school year 2024/25.
According to Principal Nina Goede, this decline is unexpected, and she is currently considering offering an option for students in grade nine who wish to learn Russian. However, the principal has not mentioned any plans to increase the number of Russian teachers at the school.
The percentage of students learning Russian in gymnasiums has decreased from 87% 20 years ago to 33% in the current school year. This trend is also reflected in the number of schools offering Russian language classes in Brandenburg, which has decreased from 309 in the school year 2005/06 to 112 in the school year 2024/25.
The school only has two subject teachers for Russian, making it difficult to guarantee lessons for future school years with such a low student count. The principal has a responsibility to ensure that all subjects, including Russian, have guaranteed lessons in the coming school years.
Possible reasons for the decreased interest include personal experiences with French in school among the parents of students and the current political situation, specifically the attack on Ukraine. Alexander Engels, spokesman for the Ministry of Education, reports the decreased interest in Russian lessons in Brandenburg.
Learning foreign languages is important as it provides knowledge transfer about other countries and cultures. The continuation of the Russian offer for the next seventh graders is uncertain at the moment. Principal Goede stated that she is committed to ensuring a broad range of subjects at the school, including foreign languages.
The parents of students in ninth grade who might consider learning Russian as an option are typically the guardians or family members involved in decisions about language learning choices at school. The principal did not specify why the interest in Russian language classes has decreased this year.
Despite the current situation, it is worth noting that in the past two years, there was a high interest in Russian language classes at Templin Gymnasium. The two Russian teachers at the school can secure Russian lessons from grade 8 to the Abitur.
This decline in interest in Russian language classes is a topic of concern, and it remains to be seen how it will affect the continuation of the subject in future school years at Templin Gymnasium.
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