Places doubled – German financing in schools is greatly expanded

The number of extraordinary students whose German is not sufficient to take regular lessons has increased considerably nationally in the mandatory schools and especially in the metropolitan areas. Since 2021 there has been a plus with 54 percent to 48,400, in the first classes of primary schools there are 23 percent of German support.

“That is clearly too much, so it is necessary to start a catch now,” said Education Minister Christoph Return (Neos) on Friday during a press conference. Finding the educational staff needed for the expansion of German financing will of course be a challenge. “It will not be easy, we are still in times of a shortage of teachers,” says the Neos politician, who now implements the model that he had demanded from the Ministry of Education as a Wiener Education city council.

Return: All federal states benefit from it
The new model ensures that where the challenges are particularly large, there are more money in the long term. It also brings more planning protection for the schools because earlier, partially temporary programs such as the special funds for Ukrainian students are permanently integrated. According to the return, all federal states will benefit from innovation and the plus in federal states with a large number of extraordinary students in federal states. In the upper Austria, for example, there will be 237 positions for German financing (formerly 78), in Vienna 521 (formerly 231).

A total of 108 million euros will be invested in school financing in the coming school year, which is 62 million euros more than last year. The fact that this happens despite the tense budget shows the importance that education has for the federal government. After all, integration could not work without knowing a good German, the language is also the key to a self -determined and successful life, says Return.

“Pack” and “falls on the hot stone”
The Greens generally evaluated the increase in the averages and the distribution between the federal states according to actual needs. Education spokeswoman Sigrid Maurer, however, saw a “foggy package” because the previous temporary special packages of the black and green predecessor government for folding Ukraine and family judge of almost 60 million euros are open. “If the previous Ukraine tools are now devoted to dedicated German financing agencies, there is no more teacher in the classroom,” said Maurer.

This accusation is not understood in the Teachers Union. A total of 815 positions had been made by the special funds, now it should be 1324. “I can’t fully understand where the fashion package should be there,” replied the best compulsory school teacher Paul Kimberger (FCG). The FPö sees the entire project as “a drop on the hot stone” as long as the causes are not combated. FPö Training spokesperson Hermann Brückkl called for an “extensive immigration stop”.

For AK and industry “important step”
The Chamber of Labor, in turn, spoke in a broadcast of an important step to effective German promotion. “Now it must be about fulfilling these positions and trains of autonomy to be able to use this staff flexibly according to the needs at the location,” said the head of the AK Vienna Education Area, Ilkim Erdost. For the Industrial Association (IV) there are more financing planning and increased teacher training in the area “Central steps to strengthen integration, language skills and educational opportunities”. However, the implementation will depend considerably on whether there is sufficiently qualified teaching staff available.