Local councilor and education spokesperson Berger-Krotsch (SPÖ) presents a package of measures to the 52nd local council and calls on the federal government to make up for the major shortcomings
Vienna (OTS/SPW-K) – “Vienna has grown by around 500,000 inhabitants since the 1990s,” says local councilor Berger-Krotsch, introducing her speech to the 52nd local council on the Education, Youth, Integration and Transparency business group, referring to the 2 million mark that Vienna recently reached. This constant growth not only requires the necessary creation of housing, which Vienna does in an exemplary manner, it also requires a clear strategy regarding education at the federal level.
“In the last 10 years, the City of Vienna has proactively and responsibly made 1,200 compulsory school classes available for Viennese school-age children. In addition to comprehensive renovation measures for existing buildings as part of the school renovation packages I and II, new additional school space is also being created through a series of expansion projects,” emphasizes Berger-Krotsch.
In the 2022/23 school year, around 4,000 additional students were accepted into the Vienna education system, and in 2023/2024 another 3,000 additional students were admitted – this is an immense burden on the education system, which poses major challenges for the city of Vienna and has so far been primarily caused by be carried to her. “For us social democrats, it is important to emphasize that no one is left behind and this is a clear commitment to solidarity – that’s how Vienna works and that’s how Vienna is,” emphasizes Berger-Krotsch.
In addition to the additional students, education spokeswoman Berger-Krotsch also highlights the issue of family reunification and calls on the federal government to act quickly. The influx from the federal states, the EU and other third countries also plays a major role in the increased need for school places and should therefore not be underestimated.
But not only the Minister of Education Martin Polaschek must fulfill his responsibility, but also the Federal Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner must take action in the current situation in order to make up for the major shortcomings on his part.
“Section 35 of the 2005 Asylum Code clearly regulates under what conditions and who can be brought into the country under the title “family reunification”. It is therefore the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that accurate, valid data on the current situation is regularly made available to all federal states in order to be able to take appropriate measures in advance,” Berger-Krotsch points out in her speech.
Berger-Krotsch emphasizes: “Vienna is the only one of the nine federal states that not only meets the asylum quota, but exceeds it. While no other federal state currently accepts asylum seekers according to the population key, Vienna accepts refugees at almost twice the rate, most recently around 90%.”
“These multiple demands on the Vienna education and school system can therefore only be met through a joint solidarity of all responsible levels, federal and state, as well as the responsible people and institutions,” says Berger-Krotsch and presents the following package of measures:
- Additional sufficient financial resources and resources for personnel based on the model of integration pots I-III
- Ongoing provision of valid figures and forecasts of the children and young people still to be expected from the family reunification title
- Measures to comply with the assigned asylum care quota of all nine federal states
- Establishment of a federal-state working group to develop a joint bonus system for educators in locations with major challenges as a signal of appreciation for their demanding work
- Introduction of an Austria-wide opportunity index to make schools future-proof for multiple challenges and to ensure educational equality for all children and young people
“An immediate return to objective, solution-oriented, responsible and political debate by all parties on the issue is required. Anything else is at the expense of the children and young people in this country and cannot possibly be wanted,” concluded Berger-Krotsch.
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