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Teacher shortage in Austria: This is how it continues!
The National Education Report 2024 shows the growing shortage of teachers in Austria and the influence of migration on the student population.
Teacher shortage in Austria: This is how it continues!
A recent report on the educational landscape in Austria reveals an alarming truth: the shortage of teachers continues to become a serious challenge. The National Education Report uses concrete figures to show that the number of six to 14-year-olds has increased by five percent over the last ten years. According to forecasts, this trend will increase by another two percent over the next ten years. At the same time, we are facing a wave of retirements among teachers. According to the report, more than a quarter of middle school teachers and a fifth of elementary school teachers are already 55 or older and will retire in the next few years crown reported.
Generational changes and challenges
This slow “generational change” brings with it both risks and opportunities. Michael Bruneforth, an expert from the Federal Institute for Quality Assurance in the Austrian School System (IQS), notes that a third of teachers are under 35 years old, which represents a slight glimmer of hope. The report also highlights the changing composition of the student body due to migration. The parents of immigrant students often have comparatively low educational qualifications and incomes. Nevertheless, the analysis shows that a third of elementary school children have at least one parent with a university degree, which can be expected to have a positive impact on school development.
Another important aspect of the study deals with the performance of Austrian students in international comparisons. According to the report, Austria almost always performs slightly above the EU average. The section head Doris Wagner takes this as an opportunity to speak out against the constant complaining about the quality of education. Particularly in mathematics, an area generally viewed as a difficult subject, the results are better than expected. However, there is still a need for action in reading skills and in promoting talent in order to further reduce school and educational dropouts, as stated in the report by the Federal Agency for Civic Education bpb.