Marienberger School: Plans for Ahs upper level fail due to education department

Marienberger School: Plans for Ahs upper level fail due to education department

in Marienberg, a district of Bregenz, there is already a elementary school, a middle school and a higher school for economic professions (HLW). The Catholic private school Marienberg had the idea of setting up an AHS upper level to expand the educational offer. According to director Erwin Simma, there was definitely interest from parents whose children attend elementary school or middle school. But the Vorarlberg Education Directorate has now rejected this plan.

The reason for the cancellation can be summarized in two main arguments. On the one hand, reference is made to the fact that there are already sufficient AHS top-level forms in the region. "There is no other tolerate," said Monika Steuer, pedagogical director of the Vorarlberg Education Directorate. In addition, the school's spatial and personnel situation was rated as inadequate. Simma criticizes that the educational directorate has not communicated clear guidelines from the start.

spatial and personnel requirements

A central point of the rejection was the spatial equipment of the school. According to the requirements of the educational directorate, at least four classrooms and additional rooms are necessary for an AHS upper level. However, Simma pointed out that similar room sizes in other schools were common. The school would only have had to make small adjustments, but the educational directorate saw it differently and not only recognized a lack of classrooms, but also the need for additional sanitary facilities to enable mixed lessons for girls and boys.

The teachers at HLW Marienberg are ready to teach at the new AHS upper level. Stefanie Rinnhofer-Hopfner, project manager for the AHS, has submitted a list of teachers who could work in the upper level. Although the capacities for the lessons are actually present, the educational directorate announces that the necessary subjects on an AHS could not be covered by the teachers at the HLW.

discrimination accusation

Another controversial point is the situation of teachers on maternity leave. Rinnhofer-Hopfner feels discriminated against because of her family situation and gender. "And that in 2024," she says incredulously. In this regard, the educational directorate is justified with experience in the availability of teachers.

The plans for the AHS top level included innovative teaching methods that would have been unique in Vorarlberg. Rinnhofer-Hopfner planned to form a class with 24 students a year. However, the educational directorate sees an additional problem in the potentially increasing interest in the new school form, as this could lead to lack of space.

In the past four years, a total of 15 teachers have worked on the concept, and the excitement about the decision is great. According to Rinnhofer-Hopfner, it is frustrating that they were initially assured that the approval was only a matter of form, especially since the bishop was also supported.

An advertisement is necessary when founding or expanding private schools. This also applies to existing schools who want to expand their offer. In the examination of the Marienberg Catholic private school, the educational directorate confirmed that the necessary conditions are not met. For this reason, the project was denied.