Law to come

Sanctions for parents who ignore school

Wants to tighten the reins: Education officer Christine Haberlander.

(Bild: Dostal Harald/Harald Dostal)

Politicians want to tighten the reins on schools - not on pupils, however, but on parents or guardians who do not cooperate with educational institutions. 

Traunkirchen was the venue for a high-profile conference recently: the education officers of the federal states met with Education Minister Martin Polaschek to discuss current challenges in the school sector. One focus was on the cooperation of parents. Upper Austria's education officer Christine Haberlander told "Krone" after the meeting: "Our pupils spend an average of 30 hours a week at school, but an average of 138 hours at home. Educational work cannot be left to schools alone."

It is about common challenges in education policy. The next federal government will be called upon to implement them.

LH-Vize und Bildungsreferentin Christine Haberlander (ÖVP)

The Ministry is working on what the law should look like
The conference spoke out in favor of providing for binding cooperation between parents and the school. If parents do not cooperate, this should also be sanctioned. In other words, there should be penalties. The Ministry responsible is now to work out exactly what these will look like. What is certain, however, is that a legal basis is to be created to oblige parents to cooperate with the school on an ongoing basis.

ÖVP politician Christine Haberlander: "This is about common challenges in education policy. The next federal government will be called upon to implement them."