The Austrian government decided today, Wednesday, to increase funding for childcare and schools. In particular, the offer for children under three and early language support will be expanded. Additional support staff is also planned.
The federal states can continue to use unused funds from the last three-year contract period with the federal government. In total, the government plans around €200 million a year for early language support, an extension of the offer and the free compulsory pre-school year for the years 2022/23 to 2026/27. The expansion mainly concerns childcare for children under the age of three and in disadvantaged regions. By the summer of 2023, a third of children under the age of three should be entering kindergarten, and most places for older children should be compatible with full-time work for their parents. According to the government, opening hours should be relaxed.
More money for compulsory schools and school social work
In the case of compulsory schools, the federal government wants to pay two-thirds of the costs for secretarial staff permanently from 2023/24. The upper limit for the federal states is 15 million euros per school year. Another aspect is up to seven million euros for psychosocial support staff such as school social workers and employees, with states having to bear half of the staff costs themselves.
In addition, the federal government wants to create more places in day schools, a goal it originally set for the fall of 2022. Now there are 230,000 places by 2024/25.
Source: Krone
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