From my own experience as an asylum seeker going to the SFI classes helped me to forget about what I have been through in my country. It helped me gain the confidence of trying to integrate to the society. It gave me insight into the labor market in Sweden among many other important issues. The teachers from time to time share with us these things and gave us insight to the expectations of the Swedish society from immigrants. After a few months into the SFI I was able to understand and at least ask for help in Swedish.
One of my aims was to pass the SFI as quick as possible and sit for the national test so that in the event I get the permission to stay in Sweden I can quickly enrol for the upper secondary. Now a shadow of darkness have been cast upon my life. Three months ago I received a negative decision from the authorities and I have been told to stop attending the SFI course because of the decision from migration. I just find it to be so unfair that I’m denied to learn the language because of the decison of which I have appealed against and still legal in the country. I find hard that I’m denied the education just because I’m an asylum seeker. I didnot plan or ask to be an asylum seeker. It is the circumstances that were beyond my control.
Is it a crime that I flee to be protected? Surely, why waste resources teaching me the language and at one stage you are told to stop. Why is the word asylum always surrounded by restrictions and barricades?. Why are people scared of us?I understand that no one wants to spend money on someone who can be returned to his/her country. I would advocate that asylum seekers be permitted to take the Swedish course till they receive the decision to be returned not when pending. Learning Swedish does not only help one organize his/her life in Sweden but also global one can sustain his/her life. One can work with the Swedish embassies and organizations.
SFI is a programme that is meant to give newly arrived immigrants a background to the Swedish language. The programme is run and offered by different municipalities around Sweden through SFI schools. The basic curriculum requisite for the SFI teachers is that they content and teach the basics of the Swedish language to the immigrants.
The other language skills such as speaking, writting and reading of the language, the immigrants have to practice by themselves. They have to assembly the bits and pieces of the basics into phrases, sentences, paragraphs, essays and so on.
However, some SFI teachers feel that the basics are not enough to equip the new immigrants gearing to integrate into the Swedis society. Instead, they go an extra mile by scheming and planning a more thicker comprehensive curriculum which after completion leaves the new immigrant almost close to perfect ‘på svenka’. One such SFI school that has done this is the Borås SFI school for immigrants.
The school is led by Lars Lindberg who has worked for the security system for almost twenty-five (25) years and as a teacher for five (5) years. He always mentions it to the new immigrant students that his aim is to always try to go an extra mile with the content of the Swedish language. He feels it’s not enough to teach the basics such as for example: hej; hur mår du?; hej då; vad heter du; titta etc. He said instead, they try to cover the bigger part of swedish grammar and at the same time applying a different approach to make the students benefit more. Below is what he had to say:
‘We are one of the best schools that is producing the best students into this society. The students from this institute easily and quickly integrate into the society. This is because of our curriculum and our approach. When a student leaves this place he/she is able to at least make and understand a conversation in Swedish. This is also because we share with them time and again about other important issues that they have to know about the Swedish society as they get learn the language in parallel.
Besides, the students are disciplined, they show the curiosity to learn and be part and parcel of this society and we are greatful for that, so why not give them more?’
This kind of approach is one approach that many other SFI schools can also adopt and practice particularly if we are to make the goals and objectives of integration a success.
Many immigrants have been finding it hard to occupy themselves during the long summer break as they had no where to visit, enjoy the summer such as going to summer houses in the woods with the exception of a few who might have families and friends. However, they have finally received a sigh of relief after the SFI classes re-opened last week.
It is a norm that the migration authorities usually brief the new immigrants during the introduction stage about what they can occupy themselves with while awaiting the outcome of their cases. Amongst the most activities they usually mention is attending Swedish language courses, engaging in voluntary work (praktik) and helping new fellow country men adapt into the Swedish society. However, many new immigrants are reluctant to take the advices seriously as they assume the waiting for the processing of their cases will be an overnight issue. It is only when they have stayed longer periods of up to several months and lost patience that they start realizing the importance of engaging themselves with these activities. Some earlier would prefer to spend most of the time in the library, viewing the shops in the town and sometimes staying back at home.
However, with time, they start realizing the boredom of not being engaged with anything. One of the activities which many new immigrants find it to be interesting in the later stage is the SFI programme. Below is what some had to say about it:
‘It’s better now that we have opened. I prefer school than sleeping all day. I was too tired of sleeping during the summer break and worse the neighbourhood I stay most of the time looks like a ghost village. You don’t often meet or see people outside like I had anticipated. As a result I’m always forced to sleep. But now I have to go to school, it feels a relief to me.’
‘Well, I would really want to spend more time at school than be at home. When I go to school everyday then I don’t see the longer time I have to wait for my case to be processed.’
‘I couldn’t wait for the schools re-open because I had improved my Swedish a bit duting the summer break and now I feel more geared to partake on the lessons with the teacher. I studied a lot! At first I was shy to even say the word ‘ursäkta’ to the teachers at school when I didn’t understand something, because I had no confidence in what I was saying but now I have improved and have the confidence.’
Immigrants in Borås feel that the SFI is a good programme which they find so helpful in learning about not only the language but also the Swedish society. One immigrant from Lebanon says,
”At the SFI we learn a lot, its worth it because everyday I learn new words and new things.The teachers are friendly and they teach us more on the Swedish culture,society,economy and the general knowledge. They go an extra mile”.
”School is good, the only problem is the bus,but I would love to spend the whole day here. The teachers are friendly and i meet different people from all over the world and all this through SFI.” Immigrant from Somalia.
However, some imigrants complain that they find it hard to understand the teachers as they only use Swedish and English.
” I find it hard to learn Swedish. I just go there to register my name so the migration authorities dont take my money. I’m from Serbia and I don’t understand the languages the teachers use. Worse still, the teachers have a hard time with the immigrants. They spend most of their time making noise. I suggest they have teachers for immigrants who make a bigger number like the Serbians”.
They feel the programme does not motivate them to take the language seriously.