Vienna statistics

Questions about the numbers of extraordinary pupils

Experts agree: the number of exceptional pupils is actually increasing - but they are not to be found in the statistics.

(Bild: VOTAVA/DPA)

Vienna has a problem with exceptional pupils. These are children who are unable to follow lessons due to poor German language skills. Many of them were even born here. But are the figures correct?  

As many as 14.8 percent of pupils in Viennese public elementary school are exceptional pupils. This means that they sit in class but speak too little German to be able to follow the lessons. As of June 2024, there were 10,535 such pupils. 45 percent of them were even born in Austria, which is particularly alarming.

German as a foreign language
Around seven percent of them even have a red-white-red passport. And: around 60 percent of kindergarten children in Vienna grow up with a first language other than German. There can be no question of natural language acquisition or successful integration here.

Lack of resources
In addition, the resources are insufficient or barely sufficient. Teachers are left behind who are reaching their limits. Despite the urgent need, the necessary resources are lacking: the federal government only provides limited posts for German language support. 

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

Family reunification and refugees
These figures come from the office of the city councillor responsible for education, Christoph Wiederkehr (Neos), who is also renewing his call for more money from the federal government. Wiederkehr: "The wars in Syria and Ukraine have led to a sharp increase in pupil numbers. Many are exceptional pupils." However, the proportion of Ukrainians among them is only around seven percent. But how do the new figures fit together?

Where have the 3,000 exceptional pupils gone?
Because somehow at least 3,000 such pupils have disappeared from the statistics within a few months. In the school year 22/23, there were 13,546 exceptional pupils in Vienna's elementary school - this is confirmed by Statistics Austria, which accounts for 17.3 percent. One year later, there are "only" 10,535.

Surprised by the answer
We asked the Wiederkehr office. How can this deviation be explained in view of the constant influx? The answer was astonishing. "Statistics Austria also includes private elementary school. We were only talking about public elementary school. Accordingly, the figures that include private elementary school are naturally higher," it says succinctly.

Do private schools have a language problem?
However, this would mean that of the 10,000 or so private school pupils, around 3,000 children would not speak German well enough - which would be just under 30 percent. This would probably be less compatible with the elitist claim. Or perhaps these children have learned our language in recent months. In principle, that would certainly be welcome. But Wiederkehr also says: "The increase in pupils in need of German support is not accompanied by sufficient additional resources - currently 5,000 pupils in Vienna are no longer receiving support from the federal government." So where are they all now? Because the topic is too important and sensitive to work with imprecise or incorrect figures.