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Luxembourg is opening its international and municipal schools to Ukrainian refugees. Here is how the process works, and who to contact once you've arrived.
Luxembourg, like other European countries, grants Ukrainian refugees temporary international protection. Educating refugee children and young people is a legal obligation, and thus Luxembourg has set up further steps to include them in the education system.Unlike previous waves of influxes of refugees, most recently in 2015, the public education system now has international schools allowing for a more flexible language offer, including English.
Read also: Luxembourg's school system and public schools with English streams
Here are the steps to take to get your child in a school, and an overview of the different schools available.
First step: Contact SECAM
The Education Department for Foreign Children (SECAM) of the Ministry of National Education is the first place to be contacted for refugee families from Ukraine. 38, rue Philippe II; L-2340 Luxemburg
Hotline English: (+352) 247-76570 / Ukrainian: (+352) 247-76976
Monday to Friday from 8am-12pm and from 1pm-5pm
Email: secretariat.secam@men.luAfter an interview with the families and the children, the SECAM offers them one or more options so that each child can quickly benefit from adequate schooling. The final choice rests with parents.
Children and adolescents are welcomed to school as soon as the immigration procedures provided for by the Directorate of Immigration and the Ministry of Health have been completed.Parents who have contacted the municipal authorities or high schools directly are invited to also contact the Foreign Children's Schooling Service (SECAM) in order to benefit from its guidance assistance.
The English-speaking route
Public international schoolsThe educational offer for Ukrainian refugee children and young people is mainly organised by six public international schools.
Centre 1 - Lycée Michel-Lucius | École Adam Roberti |
Centre 2 - École internationale Mersch Anne Beffort | Lycée classique Diekirch École Redange/Attert École Diekirch |
South 1 - École internationale Differdange & Esch-sur-Alzette | Lycée de garçons Esch-sur-Alzette École Schifflange |
South 2 - École internationale de Mondorf-les-Bains | École Kayl |
East - Lënster Lycée International School | Lycée classique d’Echternach École Sandweiler École Schuttrange École Niederanven |
North - Lycée Edward Steichen Clervaux | Lycée du Nord Wiltz Site Weicherdange École Weiswampach École Harlange |
Depending on needs and demand, Ukrainian children may also be educated in municipal schools. They will follow reception courses in German or French.For children of preschool age (3-5 years, cycle 1 of the Luxembourg basic school), parents will be offered enrolment in a basic school in their municipality of residence.Education and care services (SEA)Extra-curricular care for young children and children in cycle 1 will be provided by the childcare structures near the place of residence.For other primary school children (cycles 2-4), after-school classes will be provided, where possible, in or near the schools accommodating Ukrainian children.Additional staff recruitmentThe recruitment of additional Anglophone teachers for international schools is under way.In order to strengthen the care of refugee children, people of Ukrainian origin or Ukrainians of different backgrounds are being recruited. They can assist the teacher in the class with translations or providing explanations.
An appeal is made to people who have experience in the educational field. They can send their candidacy and a brief CV to ukraine.secam@men.lu.