Court of Auditors recommends a uniform model for the employment of administrative support staff at compulsory schools
Vienna (PK) – Today, in the presence of Education Minister Martin Polaschek Audit Committee the test reports on the newly created education directorates and on administrative support staff at compulsory general education schools are dealt with. Both reports were accepted unanimously.
Directorates of Education: The main problem is the fragmentation of competences
The aim of the review of the education directorates, which have existed as joint federal-state school authorities in the states since January 1, 2019, was to assess the reorganization of the school authorities and the respective state law implementation as well as the resulting areas of responsibility of the education directorates (III-863 d.B.). The comprehensive audit report presented in February 2023 is a cross-sectional audit of the federal, state and “mixed authorities” – this is the added value of the report, emphasized Margit Kraker, President of the Court of Auditors, in the committee.
The Court of Auditors cited the fragmentation of competences and complex contexts of instructions in the fulfillment of the tasks of the education directorates as the main problems. The audit also showed that an overall financial view was not possible and that there was a trend towards an increase in spending in some federal states. In addition, agreements between the federal and state governments to bear the costs for the education directorates were inconsistent and non-transparent.
The Court of Auditors made a total of 78 recommendations in its report. Among other things, he recommends examining and, if necessary, implementing the transfer of further tasks to the federal and state education directorates. Furthermore, cost neutrality should be striven for and a resource, target and performance plan should be drawn up completely and correctly.
This poor examination report leaves you speechless, said Martina Künsberg Sarre (NEOS) and asked Education Minister Martin Polaschek which of the recommendations made by the Court of Auditors had already been implemented.
Karin Greiner (SPÖ) spoke out in favor of reducing “efficiency deficits” and asked whether there was already an overview of the budget. She also asked about a concept for inclusion in schools.
Hermann Brückl (FPÖ) criticized the cost increases in six out of nine federal states and asked what measures have already been taken in this regard. He also wanted to know how the reform was supported by the employees.
Gertraud Salzmann (ÖVP) spoke to Education Minister Polaschek about school supervision and asked how it addresses different types of schools and how it will be further developed in this regard.
Sibylle Hamann (Greens) asked about the “school cluster” system, which has not yet become widely established. Eva Blimlinger (Greens) asked about the service orientation of the education departments and how complaints are dealt with.
Polaschek: Merging was a complex process
Education Minister Martin Polaschek replied that some of the Court of Auditors’ recommendations had already been implemented and evaluation discussions were being held. It was a massive step to set up a new authority with the education directorates. Existing differences in service and salary rights particularly affect the federal states. The cooperation between the employees works well. Bringing together different corporate cultures is a complex process. There is no resistance from the employees, says Polaschek.
The Minister of Education also emphasized that cost and performance accounting had been introduced at the beginning of 2023 to provide an overall overview of the budget and that audit plans would be drawn up for meaningful education controlling. With regard to the service orientation of the education directorates, work is being done on complaint management and a position is being set up to ensure that inquiries are answered more quickly.
There has already been a “decent increase” in the number of school clusters, said Polaschek. There are now around 60 clusters – Styria is the leader in this area. Nevertheless, there is further potential for improvement, especially in the cluster management, which we want to strengthen.
Additional positions have already been created in the school supervision department in order to be able to respond to different types of schools, and the response has already been made here, says Polaschek.
On the subject of inclusion – and the right to an 11th and 12th school year for children with disabilities – there was only one federal state with rejections. Since the introduction of case conferences, there have been no more rejections, said Polaschek. However, discussions continue to be held regarding further improvements to processes and reduction of waiting times, said the Education Minister.
Too few administrative support staff at compulsory general education schools
A further audit by the Court of Auditors came to the conclusion that there is a lack of administrative support staff in compulsory general education schools in Austria. The examination was carried out from November 2022 to February 2023. Nationwide or in three states – Burgenland, Salzburg and Styria – there were a total of at least four models on the basis of which administrative support staff could be provided at compulsory general education schools (III-1154 d.B.). This means that there is no clear regulation as to who is responsible for hiring administrative support staff. At the time of the audit, fewer than 10% of schools had administrative support staff.
Recommendation: commit to a uniform model
The Court of Auditors recommends defining only one model for the employment of administrative support staff at public compulsory general education schools. This should be introduced throughout Austria on a legal basis. In addition, the legal situation should be clarified as to whose responsibility the provision of administrative support staff falls. In order to provide a clear overview, the examiners believe that it should also be determined which public compulsory general education schools are already equipped with administrative support staff by the municipalities. In order to secure long-term financing, the use of the funds already earmarked for this purpose should be monitored and all compulsory general education schools should be enabled to employ administrative support staff.
Martina Künsberg Sarre (NEOS) and Hermann Brückl (FPÖ) wanted to know from Margit Kraker, President of the Court of Auditors, which of the four examined models for the employment of administrative support staff was recommended as a nationwide model.
Sibylle Hamann (Greens) referred to the “financial equalization model” for the employment of administrative support staff, which ensures long-term financing, and asked the Minister of Education about existing experience in this regard.
Martina Kaufmann (ÖVP) asked about further plans regarding the financing of administrative support staff and how the criticism from the Court of Auditors would be incorporated into these plans.
Christian Oxonitsch (SPÖ) asked whether a fifth model might come with the “relief package for schools” announced by Polaschek at the beginning of June.
Education Minister Martin Polaschek also pointed out difficulties in this issue due to the “fragmented distribution of competences” between the federal and state governments. But in order to change this, you would have to intervene “fundamentally” in the system. There will be no more legal changes in this legislative period, said Polaschek.
With the “financial equalization model” for hiring administrative support staff, a good system has been created, said Polaschek. Experience in the 2023/24 school year has shown that the allocated quota was not fully utilized. The announced “relief package for schools” is not a “fifth model”. The aim is to “free up” teachers with this package. That is why, among other things, the creation of the new function of an educational-administrative specialist at compulsory schools is planned; this has already proven itself in the federal sector.
Court of Audit President Margit Kraker did not commit to a specific model that would be recommended. What would be crucial, however, is that there should only be one model for all employees in order to create equal and needs-based conditions at compulsory schools across the country, says Kraker. (Final Audit Committee) bea
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