Employees come clean

Violence! Cries for help from our kindergartens

The challenges in kindergarten vary. Groups that are too large, too few staff to meet the children's needs and ensure the best possible education - it is becoming increasingly difficult.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Krakenimages.com)

The alarm is already sounding for the little ones: a high proportion of migrants, groups that are too large and a blatant lack of staff are making the day-to-day work of nursery teachers more difficult - the "Krone" spoke to those affected.

Around the Day of Elementary Education - last Friday - attention is once again drawn to the extremely challenging situation in many kindergartens in the country.

"The best educational opportunities for children, good working conditions for employees and a good work-life balance for parents must finally be the focus of political decision-makers," says Korinna Schumann, Vice President and Women's Chair of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB). There is no way around more staff, just as there is no way around standardized training for assistants nationwide. This must be accompanied by smaller group sizes and generally better working conditions in order to make the sector more attractive again, according to the union's demands.

There are more and more children with behavioral problems - whether due to language, violence or a lack of rules of conduct. In addition, parents do not value our work.

Edeltraud Mühlbauer

Bild: Krone KREATIV/OEGB

The demands are in line with the everyday stories of many nursery teachers. "There are more and more children with special needs, communication is difficult due to a lack of knowledge of German, and violence is also an issue.

Focus on migration: 20 nations in one group
In addition, there is a lack of etiquette from home, such as saying please and thank you," complains Edeltraud Mühlbauer, for example. More supportive hands are urgently needed. Sabine Fritzer is also familiar with these everyday problems: "I work in a home with a very high proportion of immigrants, which means that we have families from over 20 different countries."

With 25 children in a group, I'm worried that we won't have enough time for everyone's individual needs. Improvements need to be made here.

Julia Reininger

Bild: Krone KREATIV/OEGB

Due to staff shortages: "Mistakes happen"
Astrid Anders also finds her day-to-day work increasingly challenging. For her, it's mainly the simultaneity, all tasks are urgent, which creates pressure to make decisions and causes her to feel torn. And that's where the lack of staff comes in. "Staff shortages, regardless of the sector, always have an impact on quality. If you can no longer give your work the necessary attention and time, mistakes happen and needs remain unfulfilled," says her colleague Sabine Fritzer.

The biggest challenge is not to lose sight of the children's needs when discussing staff shortages and reducing group sizes.

Sabine Fritzer

Group sizes are also viewed critically by the kindergarten teachers. "By reducing the group size to 20 children, we are on the right track. I hope we achieve this goal in the next few years," says Sabine Fritzer with cautious optimism.

It would finally make sense for the government to draw up a standardized national education plan. All children are worth the same - regardless of whether they live in Vorarlberg or Vienna.

Oliver Buchelt

Salaries are also always a point of contention. Do we need an increase? "I would like to see a higher salary and a uniform employer with uniform framework conditions," says Edeltraud. Oliver Buchelt, on the other hand, takes a different view: "We primarily need more budget for optimal framework conditions - not necessarily for salaries."

And what about recognition in society as a whole? "Elementary education is now on everyone's lips and is no longer so easily overlooked. I think this is a good development and it should definitely continue," says Sabine.

If you listen to the teachers' testimonials, the future government will have its hands full.