Carinthian elementary education at the limit: Government must act!

Carinthian elementary education at the limit: Government must act!

The Carinthian elementary teachers are under enormous pressure and feel abandoned by the state government. As Roland Ressmann, parliamentary group leader of the Alternative Independent Trade Unionists of Carinthia, emphasizes, the promised reduction in group sizes in kindergartens to a maximum of 20 children has been postponed until 2027. This happens despite the enormous challenges that already exist in everyday professional life, which push many educators to their physical and psychological limits. Many skilled workers are already quitting their jobs early because they cannot imagine working in such a stressful environment until they retire.

Urgent need for action required

Ressmann warns that the problems that arise in kindergartens often extend through the entire education system. One example is the city of Ferlach, where an elementary school teacher has been sought for a year. The emotional speech of an affected educator at this year's child protection conference could be the necessary impulse to revive the discussion about working conditions in early childhood education. The independent union calls on the Carinthian state government to take responsibility, because ultimately the children are the future of the state, as Ressmann emphatically emphasizes.

In a further context, the documentary “Our Austria: Carinthia – A Century under the Mittagskogel”, which will be broadcast on Friday, September 9th at 11:05 p.m. on ORF 2, deals with the extraordinary story of the Carinthian-Slovenian Ressmann family from Ledenitzen. The film, produced by ORF and supported by various institutions, traces the eventful history of this family over a century and highlights the effects of nationalism on Carinthian society. He not only provides insights into the Ressmann family, but also into the complex cultural history of the region, which continues to have an impact today TV.ORF.at reports.