Austria

Häupl wants referendum on Comprehensive School

derStandard.at (January 18, 2013)

Michael Haüpl  APA/Schlager

The implementation of a comprehensive school system has been the subject of controversial debate for a long time. Now, Michael Häupl, Mayor of Vienna (Socialist Party, SPÖ), has suggested a national referendum asking Austria’s citizens whether they want to keep the current, partly stratified school system or implement a comprehensive school system with whole-day care for all children aged 6 to 14 years. If policymakers are unable to decide on this overdue question, then the Austrian people should, he argues. Johann Gudenus, head of the Austrian Freedom Party and Manfred Juraczka, head of the People’s Party in Vienna, both state that Mr. Häupl is ignoring the bad education conditions in the city of Vienna and therefore recommend that he first take care of those problems before demanding national solutions.

For more information on education news from Austria:

Education report recommends expanding entangled day schools (link in German)

A-levels: Students Union accuses the Ministry of Education of inactivity (link in German)

“Pre-school year for children with problems is German-discrimination” (link in German)