The introduction of Low German as a subject in schools in Lower Saxony is progressing. Three teachers from the districts of Aurich and Osterholz, as well as from the Lüneburg Heath, were the first to successfully pass a certificate examination set by lecturers on the Bachelor’s degree programme in Low German, which began at the university in 2023.
Anja Enninga from the Ihlow Integrated Comprehensive School, Nele Ohlsen from Wallhöfen Primary School and the Hambergen Cooperative Comprehensive School, and Dr Wilfried Zilz from Walsrode Grammar School are part of the advisory network preparing for the state-wide introduction of Low German as a school subject.
Lower Saxony’s Minister for Education and Cultural Affairs, Julia Willie Hamburg, congratulated the three teachers: “I congratulate the first three successful Low German graduates – they also represent the many highly committed teachers who are championing the Low German language in our schools and beyond.”
The language examination is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and is designed to take into account the specific characteristics of the regional language Low German. The teachers, who are now C1-certified, will in future assess other teachers in Lower Saxony on their Low German language skills. Staff from the Low German and Sater Frisian section at the University’s Institute for German Studies are also contributing to the development of the necessary examination materials.
Anyone interested in studying the subject of Low German can enrol on the Bachelor’s degree programme in Low German at the University of Oldenburg until 15 October. This Bachelor’s degree, designed for a career in teaching, qualifies graduates for the Master of Education degree programmes in Low German, which students will be able to undertake in Oldenburg from the 2026/27 winter semester onwards.
