At the start of education in eastern Austria, Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) reiterated his assurance that all classes could continue despite the acute shortage of teachers. He stubbornly refused to give figures on the number of teachers who are missing in the whole of Austria. In the new school year, Polaschek wants to place special emphasis on promoting reading.
“Of course it can always fail in the short term that someone gets sick on the weekend,” but his information from the education departments was that all school hours could be kept, he said at a press conference on Monday. According to Polaschek, who also referred to the 600 newly hired career changers, what the teachers couldn’t do should be taken up by student teachers. In total, about ten percent of teachers in schools now consist of people who have not had any relevant training.
“Facts Instead of Polemics”
The minister rejected the accusation of a lack of vision that NEOS expressed during a protest on Monday. “If you look at everything that has already happened in recent years, perhaps you should look more at facts than at polemics,” says Polaschek. For example, he called the introduction of the school subjects digital primary education and ethics as successes.
Understanding the NEOS claim
On the other hand, he showed understanding for the demand to reduce bureaucracy. This is also an “extremely important” concern for him and that is why it is being worked on intensively in coordination with the professional representatives. The support staff at the schools had already grown from 400 to 700 in the past year and more and more people are coming to the schools, “but I am aware that we have to continue to provide help,” Polaschek explained, promising further growth in the coming period. measures. to soften.
The Ministry of Education wants to place special emphasis on promoting reading skills in the coming school year. “Reading with meaning is the basis for a successful educational and professional career,” says Polaschek. In an international comparison, the reading performance in Austria is only in the better midfield, “that cannot satisfy us”, said the Minister of Education, referring to the international reading studies PISA and PIRLS.
Reading tandems should help
As a concrete measure, according to the plans of the Ministry of Education, public figures should in the future inspire children and young people to read as reading ambassadors when they visit schools. Individual schools must also be encouraged to carry out more innovative reading projects with a new reading quality mark. Because of the increased focus on reading in the classroom, Polaschek particularly praised the model of reading tandems between children with reading difficulties and children who can read more easily.
Polaschek also expects visible successes in the coming years from the increased reading promotion in international comparative studies. This year is too late for that, the PISA study has already been carried out and the results will be presented in December.
Parenting is gone
Austria’s reading performance is in line with the EU average, according to the PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, see above) study presented in May. In Austria, the differences in reading performance depending on the educational level and occupation of the parents are significantly greater in Austria than in other countries. Nevertheless, Polaschek wants to broaden the new focus on promoting reading skills. It is important to encourage reading in every school. If there is a special need somewhere, according to the Minister of Education, this will be taken care of with guidance lessons.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
