This evening he advised Budget committee of the National Council About the budget forecast for education. According to the analysis of the parliamentary budget service, this represents a focus area in the budgets 2025 and 2026. Additional budgets are provided for offensive measures in kindergartens and schools. These should flow into language support, the expansion of training positions in the elementary education sector, a second mandatory kindergarten year and the teachers: interior education. In 2025, the expenditure for the area of education accounts for around 9.7 % of total expenditure 2025.
In numbers this means: The double budget 2025/26 provides for 12 billion ꞓ or 12.5 billion ꞓ for the area of education (67 d.B. and 68 d.B.). For 2025 compared to the preliminary success in 2024, this is a payout increase of 407 million ꞓ (+ 3.5 %) and for 2026 another plus of 551 million ꞓ (+4.6 %). For 2025, 46,784 positions are planned in the personnel plan and an increase to 47,189 positions for 2026. The personnel offensive affects the teachers: interior plan positions as well as school psychology and school social work.
Significantly more money for elementary education from 2026
According to the analysis of the parliamentary budget service 2025, the payments for elementary pedagogy remain at 210 million ꞓ at the same level as 2024 (200 million ꞓ) and in 2026 increased significantly to 314 million ꞓ – in particular due to the planned introduction of the second mandatory kindergarten year and the project to the healthy snack. As part of this project, a healthy, free snack is to be offered for kindergarten children starting in September 2026, the offer is to be gradually expanded. From 2026 to 2029, 20 million ꞓ are planned.
With the “quality offensive elementary pedagogy”, the number of training paths for elementary pedagogue is intended to widen: inside. The aim is to reduce the elementary pedagogical shortage of skilled workers and to establish uniform quality standards. In budget 2025, 10 million ꞓ are planned for this, from 2026 these budget funds will be increased to 15 million a year by 2029.
Focus on German funding, opportunities index should be implemented
With a German offensive and measures for violence protection, additional resources for German funding are to be made available from the school year 2025/26. Additional funds should also flow into school social work and violence prevention. For these offensive measures, around 55 million ꞓ and around 90 million ꞓ are budgeted for 2025. In addition, the conception and implementation of an Austria -wide opportunities for opportunities is planned. This is intended to provide additional funds for school autonomous use for socially special -demanded schools. In 2025, 20 million ꞓ and 65 million ꞓ are budgeted from 2026 to 2029.
Savings planned in the administration
According to the budget report 2025 and 2026, savings should be available in the administration. These are estimated at 81 million ꞓ for 2025 and 95 million ꞓ in 2026. In the central office, positions should only be filled to a limited extent and are saved on business trips and the voluntary social expenditure for employees: inside. The projected school buildings are to be built or renovated according to the plan, but fewer construction costs and the investments made by the Federal Immobilizer Society (BIG) should be increasingly compensated for in the medium term via surcharge rents, the analysis of the parliamentary budget service can be seen.
In the school sector, a reduction in the positions for team teaching in the area of middle schools is planned. There should also be fewer funds for the support of school management supported by so-called pedagogical and administrative specialists in general education.
At the request of Rudolf Taschner (ÖVP) on the savings at TeamTeaching, Education Minister Christoph Return said that this would only affect classes with 14 or fewer students: inside and this savings would therefore be a “very careful” measure.
Return: offensive measures should also be the teacher: Introducting the internal job
Hermann Brückl (FPÖ) and Wendelin Mölzer (FPÖ) addressed the shortage of teachers and asked for paths to attracting the profession. The shortage of teachers has been a major challenge for years, said return, so various measures have already been taken in the past to counteract this – for example, with the transition to the educator: internal job. Depending on the region, school form and teaching subject, the need for teachers is very different. What is new is that in the next school year you want to “try out” the transition at primary level for the first time in the next school year. In addition, he emphasized that the funds for offensive measures – for example for violence prevention in schools and for the opportunities index – would also contribute to the attractiveness of the profession with the means intended in the budget.
When asked by Lisa Schuch-Gubik (FPÖ), how many non-German-speaking students were included in the school system that around 48,400 pupils: Interior at compulsory schools received a status as an extraordinary student in the school year 2024/25. The increasing number goes back to several factors – for example on migration, deficits in reading skills that were created during the Corona period in children, the war in Ukraine and family reunions.
Rudolf Taschner (ÖVP) said that there should be as little extraordinary students as possible: and therefore proposed German lessons in kindergartens. Return confirmed that it must be a goal of the number of extraordinary students: to reduce inside. The federal states are responsible for elementary pedagogy, and language education in kindergartens would therefore be more likely to demand more than federal-state agreements. In addition, the second mandatory kindergarten year is used, according to return.
Nico Marchetti (ÖVP) wanted to know what was planned to anchor the subject of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. Children and adolescents would have to be well prepared for this topic, since AI also has great chances, according to return. The topic was therefore included in the teachers: internal training and should also be promoted more in the teacher: interior training. In schools, AI is “a big issue” as part of the digital basic education, said Return.
Christian Oxonitsch (SPÖ) was pleased with the planned introduction of the opportunities index and asked about the relevant schedule. According to the return, elementary and middle schools in particular should benefit from the opportunities index. There is currently no finished concept.
Silvia Kumpan-Akacs (SPÖ) asked whether there were plans for a guarantee of placing a kindergarten place. Return said that he was in an exchange with Tyrol, where this has already been anchored by the state, one could learn from this.
Fiona Fiedler (NEOS) and Sigrid Maurer (Greens) asked about measures in the field of inclusive education. Return said that he could guarantee that the legal entitlement to an 11th and 12th school year for pupils: inside with special educational needs and is being worked on on a curriculum. The question of the costs for this cannot currently be answered.
When asked by Sigrid Maurer (Greens) about the planned orientation classes, Return pointed out that they have not yet been decided in parliamentary. They are intended as a special form of German funding classes for students: inside who have not yet known the school system.
The Federal Finance Framework 2025 to 2028 and the Federal Finance Framework 2026 to 2029 were also negotiated today66 d.B.). (Conclusion Budget Committee) Bea
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