Mothers in danger: repayments of over 30,000 euros due to AMS fraud?

Mothers in danger: repayments of over 30,000 euros due to AMS fraud?

Many mothers in Austria are currently facing financial challenges as they are threatened with five-figure repayments. This situation results from participation in further training courses that are now classified as not compliant with the requirements of the Public Employment Service (AMS). This reports Krone.at.

Women who work in social professions, including teachers, midwives, nurses and kindergarten teachers, are particularly affected. In the previous week, 105 of these women were questioned by the police because an institute that offered these courses was being investigated on suspicion of fraud. The affected mothers feel that they are being treated unfairly and say that the AMS suspects them of fraud. A legal dispute could be difficult because the AMS has not yet transferred any funds to the institute.

Financial dimensions

The financial demands for reimbursement are sometimes exorbitant and can amount to over 30,000 euros. In this context, the second President of the State Parliament, Gottfried Waldhäusl, commented that the AMS is responsible for reclaiming the funds from the institute in the event of proven fraud. The mothers' concerns concern the public, and the Federal Criminal Police Office's investigations continue.

This matter also raises questions about the quality and regulations in the Austrian education system. The discussion about education and further training is part of the broader context of education reporting in Austria.

Education reporting in Austria

The National Education Report 2024, which has been published every three years since 2009, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the educational status in Austria. Since 2021, the publication has been carried out by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) in collaboration with the IQS (Federal Institute for Quality Assurance in the Austrian School System). The report not only contains an education controlling report, but also school quality reports from the respective education directorates.

The National Education Report is divided into three main parts:

• Bildungscontrolling-Bericht: Dieser stellt den aktuellen Stand der Umsetzung von Bildungscontrolling-Elementen dar und erfasst wesentliche Entwicklungen im Bildungsbereich. Zu den zentralen Elementen gehören Qualitätsrahmen für Schulen und Bildungsmonitoring.
• Bildungsindikatoren: Diese bieten eine quantitative Darstellung wichtiger Aspekte des Schul- und Bildungswesens und werden durch Statistik Austria und das IHS unterstützt.
• Ausgewählte Entwicklungsfelder: Hier werden bildungspolitisch relevante Themen durch Wissenschaftler behandelt, unter anderem Quereinstiegsprogramme für Lehrpersonen und die Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz im Bildungsbereich.

An executive summary of the report provides a concise overview of findings important to education policymakers and practitioners. Downloads of the 2024 National Education Report are available on the BMBWF website, including the overall report and individual parts. The topic of education therefore remains highly relevant in this context, especially in view of the current challenges for affected mothers.