September 9, 2025|
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|3 months agoZurich's Decision to Drop French Classes Sparks National Debate
Zurich's move to eliminate French instruction from primary schools has triggered concerns about Switzerland's linguistic cohesion and educational priorities.
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Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
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- Zurich's cantonal council voted to stop teaching French in primary schools
- Zurich never officially joined HarmoS despite agreeing to sign up in 2006
- Switzerland has three main national languages: German, French and Italian
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden has already made a similar decision to drop French
By The Numbers
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Main national languages in Switzerland
2006
Year Zurich agreed to sign HarmoS
They Said
"You cannot celebrate Switzerland's unity on August 1st and then neglect the means of understanding one another"
"abandoning early French would amount to playing with fire"
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Zurich's Controversial Language Decision
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National Impact and Political Response
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Educational Implications
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