Suboptimal conditions

Private school in search of new premises

Many of the school desks and chairs are home-made, others are gifts from other schools.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The Waldorf School in Eisenstadt is very popular. However, a lack of space and poor conditions prevent it from accepting more pupils.

In the 1970s, when the Landhaus Neu was being built, a temporary building was erected opposite the Martinkaserne, which was used as a temporary solution for offices. The Waldorf School has rented these premises for 14 years. The landlord is Landesimmobilien Burgenland GmbH (LIB).

The building in question houses the school.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

Only one unisex teacher's toilet and no gym
The building is now bursting at the seams, as the school has 105 pupils aged between six and 18, divided into eight classrooms. "Demand is steadily increasing, partly because we deliberately take the pressure out of learning in the classroom and thus help a number of young people to develop more easily and perform better," says math teacher Christoph Döller.

However, 15 to 20 interested students have to be turned down every year because there is simply not enough space: "The lack of space is now so great that there is only one unisex toilet for the 19 teachers, which also functions as a cleaning and broom closet. But the staff room and the room for afternoon supervision also only measure 16."

Franz Knipp and math teacher Christoph Döller with some eight to ten-year-olds in the afternoon care room.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The unisex toilet, which is also a cleaning room.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

Energy costs tripled 
There is no gym at all. For activities, the pupils have to go to the Schlosspark or the Allsportzentrum. An external room also has to be rented for eurythmy lessons, which strengthen body awareness. In addition, the windows are constantly leaking, causing condensation to form mold in the joints.

Because energy costs have also tripled compared to the previous year due to the increased prices in last year's utility bill, the school has already discussed new room concepts with the landlord and the state, but no solution has yet been found.

We keep everything together with spit and a lot of love. Teachers, pupils and parents also carry out repairs themselves.

Franz Knipp und Christoph Döller

Sarah, Alvin and Lukas build Europe out of papier-mâché in the workroom, the heart of the school and the largest room in the entire building.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The first sixth form class was founded four years ago. It consists of nine pupils who will finish school in June. However, they can only graduate after a 13th school year at another school.

(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

There is hardly any funding, no patrons at all
"We are also in contact with private developers. But because there are no subsidies from the state and we are financed exclusively by parental contributions - we pay 498 euros per child per month, twelve times a year - pre-financing a new building is utopian because we have hardly any reserves," explains school father Franz Knipp from Oslip, who volunteers as a financial director as part of the mandatory working groups for parents. And the only funding from the Ministry of Education for non-denominational schools - 720 euros per year and child - doesn't go very far.

With various events such as school balls, clothes swap markets and Advent bazaars, we bring in additional money. In addition, parents who shirk their voluntary duties have to pay an extra 100 euros as part of the energy compensation scheme.

Finanzvorstand und Schulvater Franz Knipp

"We are aware that we are in a supplicant position. Nevertheless, we hope that a satisfactory solution will be found soon in the interests of the children. The school location should definitely remain in Eisenstadt due to the transport connections. After all, pupils from the districts of Mattersburg, Neusiedl, Oberpullendorf, Lower Austria and Hungary also commute to the Waldorf School every day," says Knipp.