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Dózsa György Primary School in Debrecen has become an accredited examination centre for the German language examination recognised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Culture of Germany, according to the statement by the German Cultural Forum in Debrecen
Dózsa György Primary School in Debrecen has become an accredited examination centre for the German language examination recognised by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Culture of Germany, according to the statement by the German Cultural Forum in Debrecen.
Dózsa Primary School is listed as a certified school by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This qualification marks the success of the efforts of the City of Debrecen, the School District Centre, the Institute of German Studies at the University of Debrecen and the German Cultural Forum Debrecen to promote the German language.
The Debrecen School District Centre and the Dózsa György Primary School in Debrecen celebrated the German language with illustrious guests at a press event on Thursday afternoon to mark the school’s official status as a German language examination centre accredited by the Permanent Conference of Ministers of Culture of Germany. This means that from the 2017/2018 school year, Dózsa, which offers bilingual education in Hungarian and German, has been put on the international map of DSD I schools.
From the 2024-/2025 school year onwards, eighth-graders will be able to take the language exam in their own school, free of charge and without stress, and, if they pass, they will receive a German language diploma at level A2 or B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Deutsches Sprachdiplom (DSD), is the language exam accepted in all German federal states. It helps foreign students to study and work in Germany without having to take a different language exam if they decide to continue their studies or work there.
This language exam has been available since 1973 and is divided into three types: DSD I (A2/B1 level, available at Dózsa), DSD I Pro (A2/B1 level, Mechwart András Mechwart Engineering and Information Technology Technical School is authorised to issue it) and DSD II (B2/C1 level, accredited by the Csokonai Vitéz Mihály Gimnázium in Debrecen).
The DSD I certificate certifies that the student has reached the language level required for admission as a foreigner in Germany to a Studienkolleg, a type of training institution, where he or she can prepare for higher education.
In her opening speech, Erika Pallósné Bodnár, the director of the school, emphasised that this is “a great honour, because this entitlement is mainly given to schools of national minorities”. Dózsa Primary School also counts on the fact that there is a strong presence of German companies in the city, and there is a great demand for employees who speak German well.
Pupils can be prepared linguistically and culturally in primary school for success in the 21st century workplace if they speak another foreign language in addition to English, and in Debrecen this is German.
“Achieving DSD I accreditation is a great tribute to the efforts of the Debrecen education system and the professional work that goes on in Dózsa György Primary School and other institutions in the school district, “ Papp László said.
Debrecen’s Mayor emphasised the strategic importance of bilingual education at Dózsa György Primary School, citing the growing presence of German companies as a model for the city’s future economy. With 49 German-owned companies operating, Debrecen is providing livelihoods for thousands of families. The mayor thanked the school, district center, and German General Education Centre for their cooperation.
In Debrecen, it has also been possible to obtain the DSD II certificate at Csokonai High School since 2019. This exam proves the language proficiency with which the prospective student can enroll as a foreigner at any university in Germany. But it also facilitates filling jobs that require German language skills, because most companies in Germany accept this language exam. If young people further deepen their German language and cultural knowledge at the University of Debrecen, and then eventually look back on the journey they have taken as employees of a German-affiliated company in Debrecen, they will see how well their studies have been completed.
Peter Stübler, director of the German Primary School in Debrecen and head of the German Primary Education Centre in Hungary, recalled that as the head of the DSD examination centre in Hungary, he supported the declaration of Dózsa Primary School as an examination site because he saw the teachers’ commitment to language education. If you come across the concept of the German Language Diploma in the fields of research, training and corporate human resources in Germany, you immediately know what its significance is. The DSD opens many doors for young people.
DSD language exams are exclusively available in schools being part of the PASCH Network, an initiative launched by the German Foreign Ministry to promote interest in German culture and language.
The DSD I language exam, designed for primary school students in German minority schools or those where German is the second language, is available for 8th grade students at Dózsa Primary School starting in 2024/25. The exam consists of a written and oral part, with the written part assessed centrally in Germany, and the oral part conducted by a two-member committee.
The DSD I language exam offers significant mental and comfort benefits for 13-14 year olds, as it is conducted at their school with a language teacher, with a mock exam before the oral exam. The exam is free of charge, and a successful result provides an internationally recognized certificate at level B1 or A2.
Source and photo credit:dehir.hu
