Czech classes for mothers and children from Ukraine have started in the dorms of the Mendel University in Brno. Their aim is to help the newcomers to better orient themselves in their new environment. The first courses have met with great interest. They are held once a week and the whole program will include 10 to 12 lessons. Photo credit: MENDELU.
Brno, March 18 (BD) – “Our goal is to generally facilitate the adaptation of refugees to the Czech environment. This is especially true with the sudden change of life and the difficult situation they are currently experiencing,” said Šárka Moravcová from Mendel University’s Institute for Lifelong Learning (ICV). The lessons mainly focus on basic communication phrases, selected vocabulary, pronunciation and the Czech alphabet.
Mendel University also plans intensive Czech language courses for newly arrived Ukrainian students. Some of them have already applied to the school. “We are ready to accept both existing and new Ukrainian university students. Existing students can start almost immediately. New students can then enroll in the standard way from September, provided that they are eligible for a scholarship from the Czech state, and the university itself decides on the recognition of their previous education,” said Radim Farana, vice-rector for educational activities.
Some refugees are also staying in the university’s dorms in Brno and Lednice, where the capacity is already full. “Currently, almost 160 people are already living with us. As soon as more rooms become available, we will accept more,” said Jana Hradská, director of the university’s dorms and canteen administration. A transparent account is being used to pay for accommodation in the dorms and to support refugees in general, and has currently received about CZK 133,000.
