Scandal in Bern: Multilingual classes are being discontinued!

Scandal in Bern: Multilingual classes are being discontinued!

A recent decision caused a stir in the Bern city council: the “Classes bilingues” (ClaBi) will not continue after the 2026 summer holidays. Education director Ursina Anderegg, a member of the Green Alliance, explained that technical challenges as well as the lack of suitable premises and incompatible curricula led to this step, which caused surprise among parents and politicians. The Bern municipal council had previously dealt with several applications to continue the bilingual school experiment, all of which were rejected, as nau.ch reports.

The teaching trial was only launched later this year, but Anderegg, who has only been in office for four months, has faced numerous challenges, including financial cuts in other areas of the education system. The debate about the “Classes bilingues” by far reflects the complex situation in the Berne education system, which has to meet a wide range of requirements. According to Berner Zeitung, the education director ended the school experiment due to the existing shortage of skilled workers and financial bottlenecks. In addition, important aspects such as increasing capacity in existing schools despite the end of bilingual classes were brought into focus.

Position of the local council

The local council pointed out that further training was not easy to implement in regular operations, as such changes are rooted in the cantonal elementary school law and fall within the competence of the city of Bern. A proposal from the political center to encourage cooperation with the canton and to present the École cantonale de langue française (ECLF) as a solution was also rejected. The ECLF was identified as a monolingual school that does not provide a legal basis for a bilingual concept. Parents of Clabi students still have the opportunity to register their children regularly with ECLF, although this is already considered insufficient for many.

Although the continuation of bilingual classes was rejected, the local council is committed to bilingualism and plans to enter into closer dialogue with the canton to explore new ways to promote French and bilingualism in Bern.

The challenges of the education sector

Ursina Anderegg's turbulent first half of the year as education director was not only characterized by the debate about bilingual classes. At the same time, urban daycare centers are faced with a financial deficit of around one million francs annually, which has fueled political discussions about the need for subsidized public facilities. Green demands for greater equality stand in stark contrast to the austerity measures taken in areas such as free tutoring. This creates a field of tension that is difficult to resolve. The technical skills of Bern's students, especially in French, remain below average, and according to current planning, there are no new funding projects in sight.

However, Anderegg signals that she is comfortable in her position and plans to take a short break during the summer break. Her topic remains not only the education system, but also the promotion of women's football, which she supports with all her might. The women's European Football Championship attracted a lot of attention at the beginning of July, and the creation of new playing areas for girls and women is an important concern for her.

The course has been set for the future of education in Bern, and it remains to be seen what solutions those responsible will find. The only thing that is certain is that the discussions must continue in order to overcome the challenges in the education system and promote education for everyone in Bern. Meanwhile, the education server, which has proven to be a valuable resource for political decision-makers and interested parties, offers detailed information about the education system in Switzerland.