Linguistic walls

New figures for first graders in Vienna are shocking

The number of "exceptional" pupils in Vienna continues to rise.

(Bild: APA Pool/Robert Michael)

Teachers at Viennese public schools have repeatedly reported precarious conditions in the classrooms. More and more pupils are being left behind due to a lack of German language skills. New figures from City Councillor for Education Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) underline just how serious the problem has become.

Almost half of Vienna's Taferl class pupils cannot speak German well enough to follow lessons. This is shown by an inquiry from the "Standard" to Wiederkehr's office. Of 18,722 pupils attending the first grade of a public elementary school as of October 1, 8342 had "extraordinary status". 

The problem has deep roots
This corresponds to 44.6 percent of first-graders at Vienna's public schools. A remarkable figure. What is particularly alarming is that the majority of them were born in Austria (5084). These young people are clearly growing up in an environment in which they are unable to learn the language sufficiently.

At the beginning of the school year 22/23, the proportion of "exceptional" pupils - those who are unable to follow lessons due to a lack of language skills - was still around 36%.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Refugee crisis only part of the crisis
Wiederkehr argued that this increase partly reflects the international crises. Many of the children who came to Vienna as refugees in the wake of the wars in Syria and Ukraine entered the system as exceptional pupils. However, as around 61 percent of first-graders with "exceptional status" were born in Austria, refugee movements only explain part of the phenomenon.

Of those born here, 1959 have Austrian citizenship, as a question from the Vienna ÖVP to Wiederkehr showed. 265 were born in the Ukraine. On average, the 8342 extraordinary pupils attended kindergarten for 2.14 years.

Viennese opposition not sparing with criticism
Wiederkehr was criticized by the Vienna FPÖ and ÖVP. "Wiederkehr has been in office for four years and has managed to finally lead the Viennese education system into the abyss", Vienna FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp is quoted as saying in a press release. He demanded a "declaration of guarantee" from Beate Meinl-Reisinger that "the failed NEOS city councillor will not become education minister".

Nepp also reiterated his demands for mandatory language screening for all children aged four and sanctions for parents.

ÖVP: "Highly explosive"
For ÖVP education spokesperson Harald Zierfuß, these figures are "unbelievable and highly explosive". In seven districts, the number of first-graders who do not speak sufficient German is already over 50 percent. The highest figure is in Vienna-Margareten at 73.8 percent. The fact that the majority of children are born in Austria with poor German language skills is proof of the "complete failure of the SPÖ and NEOS in the kindergarten sector. The promotion of German in Vienna's kindergartens is failing completely."

The ÖVP is therefore calling for compulsory kindergarten attendance for children with a need for German support from the age of three, a language assessment of all three-year-olds in Vienna, kindergarten support to be linked to the quality of German support in kindergarten, an increase in the "specialist-child ratio" to one to eight or one to ten, an increase in the number of accompanying language support staff and a C1 level for all kindergarten staff. Teachers should also be required to have language support training.

Greens call for a mix in schools
The Vienna Greens identified a "system failure". "In view of the serious problems, Deputy Mayor Wiederkehr can no longer duck away with mini measures such as summer German courses", education spokesperson Felix Stadler and education spokesperson Julia Malle were quoted as saying in a press release. They are calling for fixed language support staff for every kindergarten location that has a need. There also needs to be more mixing in Viennese schools.