German funding in the crisis: Maurer demands real solutions!

German funding in the crisis: Maurer demands real solutions!

The latest developments in German funding for schoolchildren in Austria accuse both optimism and skepticism. Education Minister Christoph Return (NEOS) presented a new package to increase the funds for German funding, which has come across a positive response from the Greens. However, Sigi Maurer, educational spokeswoman for the Greens, made it clear that the education system urgently needs to be combated and express concerns about the integration of previous special packages for Ukraine folding in the new funding concept. These aid amount to around 60 million euros that will expire in autumn, while the need continues to exist ots.at

Return has pointed out the difficulties in German funding, which have dramatically intensified in recent years. There are currently 48,400 "extraordinary students" in Austria who cannot read meaningfully, which has corresponded to an increase of 54 percent since 2021. This shows that both children with a migration background and Austrian students are affected .

The situation, especially in Viennese districts such as favorites, prompted the schools to fight more resources. The covering of the positions for language support is criticized as unfair. The new funding model is now to be designed more needs -oriented, with the number of positions more than doubled from the coming school year. In Upper Austria, for example, the positions for German funding from 78 to 237 are increased in Vienna from 231 to 521 .

in a country in which around 27 % of students are faced with non-German colloquial language, the federal government intends to invest 108 million euros in German funding. This also includes 62 million euros in additional funds, despite an existing budget deficit. The number of positions is adapted annually to the actual needs, which is particularly important in view of the increasing challenges in the education system Integrationsfonds.at

demographic backgrounds and challenges

At the beginning of 2024, around 1.8 million adolescents under the age of 19 lived in Austria, 27.6 % of whom have a migration background. This figure indicates that the majority of young people were born with a migration background in Austria, but has parents who come from abroad. This underlines the need for effective support measures, especially since 27 % of the students speak a different colloquial language than German Integrationsfonds.at

The high proportion of so-called neet youth (not in Education, employer, or training) is particularly worrying among those with a migration background. While 9 % of 15 to 24 year olds are considered neet in Austria, it is even 13 % among young people with a migration background. These figures illustrate the urgency of a comprehensive strategy for integration and language support Integration Fonds.at .