New relief package

Compulsory schools get middle management

Teachers should be able to concentrate on teaching again.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Kzenon )

The relief package for schools passed by the National Council on Wednesday is larger than had been expected. In future, there will also be middle management at compulsory schools. 

Specifically, the new function of a "pedagogical-administrative specialist" will be created at compulsory schools (primarily primary and secondary schools). Similar to the existing administrators at the federal schools (AHS, vocational middle and secondary schools/BMHS), this middle management is to relieve the principals in the organization of lessons (timetabling, subject allocation, etc.) and communication with parents and authorities (e.g. child and youth welfare services); half an hour per week per class is planned.

Additional tasks will be remunerated
In future, teachers who take on such tasks will be paid for them as an additional service. Currently, there are no administrators at compulsory schools as standard; according to the Ministry of Education, teachers have taken on these tasks unpaid up to now.

The corresponding change to employment law had not been finalized until recently. Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) had repeatedly criticized the fact that nothing was happening in the department of Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), who is responsible for the civil service. The decision in the budget committee last Thursday was made without the item "pedagogical-administrative specialist". However, Kogler had already expressed optimism at the time that an agreement would still be reached.

Relief should bring new focus
Education Minister Polaschek expects the change negotiated with the teachers' union to bring "noticeable relief at the school site", as he emphasized in a statement. "We have fought long and hard for this." The common goal was for teachers to be able to concentrate more on teaching and their work with pupils again, emphasized the top teacher representative Paul Kimberger (FCG).

"The efforts of the last few months have therefore paid off," he was quoted as saying. Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) expected this to ease the burden on teachers and thus provide the best possible support for pupils.

What else was decided?
The amendment to the service law also provides for additional remuneration in the school sector for the administrative work involved in German support classes and the protective provisions announced in the reform of teacher training, which are intended to prevent young teachers from burning out. In addition, there will also be an option for special education, music and religious education teachers to enter the teaching profession. When changing employment contracts from state to federal or state to state, previous periods of service are to be automatically taken into account in future and head teachers are to be able to choose their own replacement.