Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Ukraine's New Education Law Bans All Languages But Ukrainian

© WikiMedia (Олег Дубина (Oleg Dubyna))

ValueWalk/EurasiaNet: Ukraine’s Battle With Russia Moves To The Classroom

Ukraine is trying to fight back against Russian influence with a new drive to promote teaching in Ukrainian — but some fear this will play into Kremlin hands.

The bell rings for the end of lessons at Bakhmut’s School Number 18 in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, and children come pouring out of the building.

Historically, Russian has been the dominant language here. It is a short drive to the frontline of the country’s three-year-old war with Russian-backed separatists, who briefly overran the city early in the conflict. But as the children make their way home, some are speaking Ukrainian — a sign of a growing drive to make it the main language here.

Read more ....

Update #1: Ukrainian president signs law on education (Ukrinform Post)
Update #2: Ukraine enacts controversial Ukrainian language education law (Jurist)

WNU Editor: I cannot even begin to tell you on how much this education law is making the divisions in Ukraine even worse. Language and culture is what defines a people, threaten it and you end up threatening the unity of any country that is made up of minorities. And not surprising .... the backlash has started from Russia .... Russia's Upper House Adopts Bill Condemning Ukraine's Education Law (Sputnik), but also from other countries whose minorities exist in Ukraine. Hungary for one .... Hungary Threatens 'Pain' For Ukraine Over Controversial Language Law (RFE), as well as Romania .... Ukraine promulgates law affecting Romanian minorities (Romania Insider).

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Voting, government business and education should be in the dominant language of the country.

No law should prevent the speaking of any language at home or in public.

It is too expensive to have bi-lingual teachers. At least it is in the U.S.

If a business wants to be bilingual or more, there sho9yuld be no law against it.