Why is there a move for Swiss schools to abandon 'useless' English lessons?

Among various suggestions put forth by the centre-right party in its new position paper — which also includes abolition of grades — the FDP wants to scrap English and French lessons in elementary schools.

Typically, schools start teaching English and a second national language at the age of around eight or nine, though this may vary by cantons.

“It is a mistake on which the cantons have wasted millions of francs,” the FDP said, arguing that teaching non-native languages to primary-age children is “useless.”

The party argues that children at that age need to learn to master their mother tongue as a priority and learning other languages was holding them back from doing this. The party said Switzerland's recent poor scores in the global PISA rankings for language and reading justified a change in tack and that learning one language was better than struggling with many.

FDP member and co-author of the paper Irina Bannwart told Watson media that most children can't master their own mother tongue so shouldn't be asked to learn English too. She did however accept that foreign languages should be taught in secondary schools.

The party also argued that often the quality of foreign language teaching in primary schools wasn't good enough to make the lessons worthwhile.

"The level of foreign language teaching in third grade is very low, and some of the teachers themselves do not have a great command of the language," said FDP cantonal councillor for Vaud Florence Bettschart-Narbel.

But if a foreign language is to be taught early, a national language should be given priority over English, the party pointed out.

Focus on a ‘Swiss’ language first

Instead, emphasis should be placed on teaching the local language — German, French, or Italian, depending on regions — and not introduce foreign ones until the secondary level, when students are old enough to benefit from the courses.

This approach will have multiple benefits, besides strengthening native language skills, according to FDP.

For instance, if foreign languages are no longer taught, these courses can be removed from the curriculum which, in turn’ “will free valuable resources.”

Specifically, this time should be to “to promote Swiss values and virtues — that is, a sense of responsibility, decency and independence".

READ ALSO: What exactly are 'Swiss values' and do you need to know them?

To learn foreign languages, including English, which is widely used in Switzerland, FDP suggests that after finishing compulsory education, young people should practice the same approach as their parents and grandparents did: go to live for a while in a different linguistic region of Switzerland, or abroad.

READ ALSO: Can you get by in Switzerland with just English

So far, however, this is only a proposed change and would have to be approved by cantonal school boards before having any change of being implemented.

Teachers' organisation LCH backed language teaching in primary school but accepted that it depended on resources and training teachers.

Do you think primary school children in Switzerland should learn English? Share your views in the comments section below.