Call for Pictures “School of the future – School without Borders”
Everywhere on this planet people start moving and escape. They escape because of a various number of reasons. They escape from war and persecution, from hardship and poverty, from floods and drought. No matter why they run away, in every case they pass through whole continents and seas, cross borders and mountains and always risk their life. Escape and migration belong to our time. Probably ever more people will start moving. Today already, 65 million are on the way, a number that has not been seen ever since World War II. A small part of those who survive their escape arrive here in Germany and wants to be part of this society. In school, kids learn how society works jointly with their fellow students. Going to school does not only mean that children learn together and get through the Mathematics test. It also means to make friendships that often last for a whole life. It also means to discover talents of oneself who are worth to pursue. And exactly because of those reasons education is a human right. Education should enable every child and every teenager to start well in life. Without education it is much more difficult to pursue one’s dreams. No child should suffer from that.
Only, many kids and teenagers do not have a chance to attend school in Germany. They live in the so-called “first-reception-centers” and lose a lot of time just by waiting and feeling bored until the authorities decide on their destiny. They are refused from attending school. The only reason why they have to live in the reception centers and do not have to go to school: they are from the “wrong” country. Even though they and their parents had good reasons to escape their states are labeled as safe. But this is not so easy to say. At least their parents‘ requests for asylum should be fairly checked and decided upon. Though this is just not happening. As a result they stay in the reception centers and often just wait for the police to come and deport them to their countries of origin. This is their future and in future, borders play a huge role. 256 kids and teenagers wait in such first reception centers. 134 of them have been staying there for even longer than three months.
We ask you how a school could look like in which all kids can dream of a future where they can do what they want to. How could a school look like where it does not matter where somebody comes from – a school without borders? What should change, which subjects should be taught and how are they organized? Are school classes from first to fourth grade and from fifth to tenth still a good idea if people are coming and going continually? Are school books still needed when there are so many different languages and internet is existent at schools? How could understanding work when there are so many different languages? Does nowadays education not only mean to know but maybe to understand too?
Draw or paint your ideas and send your results to us. Your fantasies are not restricted by us. We also accept watercolors, colors from the classic box of paints or pencil drawings. If you think of collages, do collages. The formats though should not exceed A3 (unfortunately a border is set here). If you want that your teachers help you and if they would even provide time for you in their lessons, it would be awesome of course. Otherwise we encourage you to independent work!
You may send your results as class or as group or as individual person.
Who may participate and what|s the price?
Students from first to 12th grade as well as all kids and teenagers in first reception centers or collective accommodations and who are prevented from attending school.
All participants are invited to the opening of the exhibition where the sent in paintings are presented. The opening will take place on ?? of May, we inform you as soon as the location is fixed. On May 27th all participants can take part in the actual price which is a workshop conducted by artist Nino Khundadze. We will also inform you about the location.
Deadline for your pictures is April 30th 2017. The post address is: Sächsischer Flüchtlingsrat, Dammweg 5, 01097 Dresden. Please add the written confirmation for publication to the letter.
The Campaign „School for Everyone“
The campaign does not only deal with the interests of kids and teenaders in first reception centers. Also those who have to leave school and go to vocational training centers after they turn 16 are considered. They cannot graduate at school. 18 to 27 years olds who do not have a school degree often have no chance on the labour market.
The campaign raises the following demands:
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There is an immediate need for a sufficient number of regular school places for newly arriviving school aged children. An appropriate structure as well as human resources need to be provided.
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From the first day on, latest after two weeks after arrival, kids need to receive compulsory education and to make use of their right to education without discrimination. Condition is, that people arrive quickly in the municipalities and districts.
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Access to education needs to be adjusted to the kid’s educational level and other conditions.
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Young people until the age of 27 need to have the opportunity to graduate from school even if they are out of school age. Compulsory education probably needs to be extended.
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Funding programs (BaföG and BAB) for education need to be open for all teenagers and young adults.
Owner’s rights and Further Use
In the course of the campaign “School for Everyone” of the State Refugee Councils, the Federal Association of Unaccompanied, Minor Refugees and Teenagers without Borders, supported by the Union Education and Science, we plan to use the results for a post card action. The post cards will be addressed to the Saxon State Ministry of Education. On the backside the demands of the campaign “School for Everyone” will be raised again. The owner’s rights are by the originators of the art products. They guarantee that they have made the pictures by themselves. The handed in picture shall not be presented in any other competition. The participants provide their pictures for the organizers for the purpose of publication, especially in the course of the campaign “School for Everyone”. They provide it without any counterclaims. The authorization also applies for publications of the pictures in social networks, especially Facebook. The organizers ensure that the names of the participants are mentioned in every case due to copyright. The authorization for the publication of the pictures applies until June 30th 2018.