Controversy in Germany around private schools for foreign students. Young people, often Indians, arrive in Germany on a student visa. But there, they are faced with tuition fees, the precariousness of poorly paid jobs, sometimes even the cancellation of their visas before the end of their courses.
From our correspondent in Berlin,
Promad arranged to meet us in a café in Charlottenburg, the district of Berlin where he found a small job: 20 hours a week, a little over 1,000 euros a month, in the kitchen of a burger joint. Promad, a 30-year-old Indian student, arrived in Berlin in 2023, with his dream of Germany, the country of Mercedes and BMW, of technology and protection sociale. Two and a half years later, he does not hide his bitterness towards the system of private schools for foreign students. Schools that attract thousands of young English-speaking people from around the world online, most often Indians.
« The quality of the studies was very poor. We only had two to three classes a day, or an hour and a half to two hours a day. Some teachers were very good. But overall, the quality of the studies was nothing like what I expected », raconte Promad.
Some Indian students were expelled before completing their studies
Some 60,000 Indians have obtained student visas in Germany. It is, by far, the largest community among foreign students. Germany, which has a dire need for qualified laborhad signed a migration agreement in 2022 facilitating the arrival of computer scientists or students. For the latter, it’s often a cold shower once there: a spiral of high fees and poorly paid jobs, which prevents them from attending their classes.
« Foreign students have jobs such as delivering meals to homes, in Amazon warehouses or in fast food restaurants. Because they are foreigners, they are not supported by any union and customs, which normally controls compliance with labor laws, do not intervene either. Customs and unions are normally the two levers in Germany for enforcing labor law. », explains Aju John, from the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Even more distressing, the Berlin administration has started to withdraw their visas from certain students engaged in courses combining online and face-to-face courses. This would not justify their presence on German soil. Several dozen of them, almost all Indians, were even expelled before the end of their schooling.
Promad, whose family went into debt to finance his studies, has not completely given up on his dream of Germany. But he left his private school for a public international school near Berlin.
