Government is investing 32 million euros in training offensive – diepresse.com

The Council of Ministers decided on Wednesday to create over 4,000 additional training positions for elementary teachers over the next four years. For example, a new degree and more apprenticeships are to come to Bafep-Kollegs. The personnel situation at the kindergartens will remain tense in the next few years, said Minister of Education Christoph Return (NEOS).

The government is taking 32 million euros in hand for the package of measures. As a supplementary training opportunity, this creates, for example, a degree in elementary education. There are already offers at individual universities. For example, a new group – Maturants who want to study – should be won for the professional field, said return to the press foyer according to the Council of Ministers. More places are also to be made available for a pilot project at the University of Graz, where assistants are qualified as educators.

Training positions at the educational institutions for elementary pedagogy (BAFEP) are also expanded across the board. One focus is on places in Bafep-Kollegs, according to their graduates, their graduates would remain comparatively frequently at work. “Distance learning” should be more possible, after all, people from all districts should be able to complete such training. The practice kindergartens at the federal bafeps are also to be designed more modernly, new pedagogical approaches in the training centers are to be promoted.

Promotion for part -time training

People who take part in part-time elementary education training and reduce their level of employment should also receive grants from 2026/27. There will be support from the AMS, said Minister of Social Affairs Korinna Schumann (SPÖ). The unemployed who opt for elementary pedagogy training should be promoted by which AMS specialist scholarship schedules are promoted.

Schumann and Family Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) emphasized that the package of measures strengthens the freedom of choice and the compatibility of family and work in particular for women.

The future decided in elementary education, returned the reasons for the « large training initiative ». There are currently not enough pedagogical specialists – according to the Ministerial lecture, 13,700 additional people will be needed by 2030 to maintain the status quo; For structural improvements, however, 20,200. The latter is an ideal variant of the qualitative expansion with smaller groups, said return, who strives for quality improvements. The measures now presented are a significant expansion. « However, the personnel situation will be very tense in the next few years, » said the Minister of Education. Further measures are necessary.

Green demand better working conditions

The Greens doubt that 4,000 new training positions will end up with the announced measures. In addition, the best training paths would not do anything if the working conditions were unreasonable, the green elementary pedagogy spokeswoman Barbara Neßler explained in a broadcast. She called for reality in the kindergartens. But it was good « that movement comes into being. » (APA)