What worries us

How Styrian pupils did this year

Thousands of pupils start their well-deserved vacations today with their school reports in their hands

(Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta)

Friday is report day at Styrian schools - where things have been very turbulent this year. Teacher shortages and increasing violence were dominant topics. 

Out of the classroom and into the vacations! For around 123,000 Styrian pupils, today is the eagerly awaited day when they receive their school reports. And the vast majority can look forward to swimming fun, vacations and lots of free time with a clear conscience - see chart below. The Styrian Directorate of Education is also satisfied with the results of the school-leaving exams. In German, for example, AHS students achieved the most "A's" nationwide, while BHS students came out on top in English.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Looking back, however, there was also some turbulence to overcome in the 2023/24 school year. Teachers, pupils and politicians are particularly concerned about two key challenges: the shortage of teachers and increasing violence and radicalization at educational institutions.

Staff shortage: improvement in sight?
Attempts were once again made this year to compensate for the staff shortage with lateral entrants. 204 certified temporary teachers were deployed in the past school year. "I assume that all teaching positions will be filled and that we will be able to maintain all teaching hours," says state education councillor Werner Amon (ÖVP) optimistically with a view to next fall.

I am assuming that all apprenticeship positions will be filled and that we will be able to keep all the hours.

Bildungslandesrat Werner Amon (ÖVP)

The increasing violence and radicalization also made headlines in the past school year. Provincial Councillor Amon invited experts to a round table last fall, and a new coordination office for the prevention of violence and extremism was set up in the Education Directorate. Since then, the mobile crisis intervention team has already been deployed 50 times. There are also special new remedial lessons in this area.

Over 90 pupils have been suspended
The brutalization among pupils has also led to a further increase in suspensions. This measure was imposed 93 times this year, compared to 73 in the previous school year. "A support program for suspended pupils will be introduced in the autumn. However, this requires the consent of parents, which is not always easy," Amon appeals to parents and guardians.

INTERVIEW

Lehrermangel, Quereinsteiger und steigende Gewalt am Land

Styrian teacher representative Werner Strohmeier sums up the past school year and says what he would like to see.

"Krone": What were the biggest challenges?
Werner Strohmeier: Certainly the shortage of teachers. We were sometimes able to solve this with lateral entrants. It turned out that some of them were an enrichment. Others have since given up again because it's not so easy after all. The expectations were often different. You suddenly have pupils in front of you, and there's not really any preparation for that. Many are perhaps not well enough educated.

Werner Strohmeier is the head teacher representative.

(Bild: Tina Szabo)

Which subjects are more difficult to teach?
Especially subjects with chemistry and physics. But all in all, it doesn't depend on the individual.

What about violence in schools?
That was also one of the challenges - not only in urban areas, but also in rural areas. But there are now so-called emergency teams that can be called out to schools immediately. They consist of psychologists, the police and everything you need in such cases. You can turn to them quickly. Assistance is also becoming more urgent. We want the issuing of decisions on special educational support to be less bureaucratic and quicker. Because children are often in need.

How many teachers are missing in Styria?
It will work out somehow. We can cover it. But we won't have too many teachers.

Will the number of exceptional pupils who can't speak German at all continue to increase?
That always depends on who comes to us. It's difficult to control. With family reunification, the issue will probably become stronger again. Vienna has already been hit hard. We're also facing something in Styria - especially in the provincial capital of Graz.

Are thereenough classrooms to be able to teach these children with special needs well?
That depends on the location, of course. It's getting tighter. But the overall picture has changed.

What areyour wishes for the new school year?
A relief package for principals and that we can provide quick support with resources at schools when something is needed.