The staff shortage at the Viennese kindergartens is increasing. Two educators talk about the challenging daily life, one keeps fighting, the other goes. But what’s the problem?
The school sector complains about the staffing situation and the same picture emerges in kindergartens. The problem: While politicians cheer for more childcare places and the “kindergarten billion”, many providers don’t know how to reconcile existing capacities.
Criticism comes from the large private organizations in Vienna: Diakonie Bildung, Kinderfreunde Wien, KIWI-Kinder and St. Nikolausstiftung. They speak of “cosmetic concessions” and the measures are “not even remotely suitable to get the staff shortage under control”. At the start in September, more than 300 educators are missing. Group and even location closures are inevitable. In addition, the profession currently has an image problem.
The victims are in the first place the children, because they lack valuable education time, and on the other hand, the parents, who have to take care of the children in the short term. “It is the goal of every educator to provide the children with a daily education that is conducive to their development,” said Elmar Walter, director of the St. Nikolaus Foundation. But this is often not possible due to the lack of personnel and many specialists leave the field because the pressure and frustration is too great.
Not enough staff for more demanding children
Not so Petra Stadler, she has been a kindergarten teacher for 13 years and has been working at the St. Nikolaus Foundation since 2010. “I love my job, but it gets harder every year. We have to work a lot of overtime, it’s not easy on many days,” says the 33-year-old. A few years ago she completed additional training to become an inclusive primary education teacher, especially for children with special needs. “Here too, there are far too few educators for more and more children who need more attention,” says Stadler. In daily life she is often frustrated because there is not enough time to treat each child individually. Despite all the setbacks, she wants to stay in her job.
It was different for Sophie S. She graduated from the Educational Institute of Primary Education (BAfEB) a year ago and repeatedly did internships in kindergartens during her school days. And while working with the kids suits her, the 20-year-old soon realized she didn’t want to go to kindergarten. Instead, she is now studying to become a primary school teacher. “As a teacher I earn more, I have more free time and less responsibility”, Sophie S. explains her choice. And like them, many other newly trained kindergarten teachers feel the same way.
One thing is certain, if something doesn’t change soon, the first and certainly not the least important level of education will become just a rotten construction.
The requirements of primary school teachers
The experts therefore have clear requirements: More specialized staff and smaller groups so that children can be properly supervised and in a way that is appropriate for their development. Financial incentives are intended to attract career changers from the fields of psychology, occupational therapy, etc. Relief of teaching staff by administrative staff and uniform framework conditions for the whole of Austria for the care key or salary.
Source: Krone
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