Many parents worry that the classes in compulsory schools are too large and that the staff does not have enough time for the lessons. These are the results of a study commissioned by NEOS, which therefore calls for 20,000 additional teachers for kindergartens and schools.
Many children, teachers and parents are currently becoming “exhausted” in the education system, NEOS boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger criticized on Tuesday. As proof of this, she saw the results of a Triple M study* commissioned by her party. The parents surveyed cited the lack of staff as the biggest problem. This would leave teachers with insufficient time for teaching or other activities.
Other challenges mentioned were too large classes in compulsory education, bullying, the high time commitment and school costs. In addition, some respondents worry that their children’s talents could go undiscovered.
Education spokesperson: ‘Don’t just announce’
“Parents see the need for reforms, not announcements,” education spokeswoman Martina Künsberg Sarre said on Tuesday. She referred, among other things, to the announced reforms of leisure education and the reduction of bureaucracy, which Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) had announced and which ‘probably won’t happen anyway’.
According to the NEOS, 20,000 additional teaching staff will be needed in schools and kindergartens across Austria over the next ten years. There are currently enough graduates from kindergarten training, but only a few have chosen this profession.
More incentives for the staff
That is why more attractive conditions are needed in schools; the NEOS want an incentive for staff to extend their working hours. Currently, four in ten employees work part-time. At the same time, teaching staff of retirement age should be able to continue teaching more easily if they wish. Other demands include: more autonomy for schools and therefore less bureaucracy, more support staff, rewards for particularly committed teachers and easier lateral entry.
*The survey was conducted online among 1,000 parents of school-age (655) and kindergarten children (345).
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.
