Education Budget: 76 Million Euro Savings Despite Increase
At the same time, a contribution of 76 million euros will be made in 2025 towards budget consolidation, according to Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) to journalists. Savings will be made, for example, in the replacement of administrative staff, and team teaching in very small classes will be discontinued. However, the expansion of German language support and the opportunity bonus will be implemented as planned.
Not entirely coincidentally, the key data of the education budget was presented as the first detailed budget - due to the high personnel cost share of 86 percent (mainly teachers), it reliably grows even in times of austerity. The majority of the budget increase is explained by covering the salary agreement for the public service. Additionally, measures agreed upon by the previous government are being implemented, as well as initiatives from the black-red-pink coalition being financed. Overall, due to increasing student numbers and additional German language support, at least nearly 900 teaching positions are expected to be added.
Two-thirds of the savings in administration
Two-thirds of the planned savings (51 million) are to be achieved in administration - in the ministry, for example, only every third position will be refilled, and similar measures are to be taken in subordinate offices such as education directorates and pedagogical universities. Savings will also be made in the material expenses for nursing schools, and construction cost subsidies for infrastructure measures will be postponed.
Team teaching will also be targeted: This is to be generally eliminated in very small classes of 14 students or fewer - exceptions can be made for classes with an inclusion focus. This is expected to save around 6.7 million euros and affect all federal states. Even in Vienna, there are about 100 such very small classes, according to the ministry's Secretary General Martin Netzer.
Relief for the Directorates is Coming
Both an investment and a consolidation, the introduction of pedagogical-administrative specialists to relieve the directorates, including at compulsory schools, was decided by the previous black-green coalition. They will be implemented gradually as planned - however, according to Netzer, following a phased model agreed with the union and not according to a fixed key currently enshrined in law. As a result, they will ultimately cost 47 million euros per year instead of 62 million. They will be hired gradually - the exact plan is determined by the states, although it would of course make sense to first supply the large locations, according to Netzer.
Ten million euros are to be invested in new training places for elementary education. The opportunity bonus, endowed with a total of 65 million euros per year, which provides additional resources to schools with special burdens, will be implemented as planned from the 2026/27 school year. Measures included in the double budget only with preparatory work, such as the second mandatory kindergarten year or the subject of democracy, will not come until 2027 as planned.
Savings Preferably Not in Classrooms
In total, all ministries combined have to manage around 1.1 billion euros for consolidation. "This is a massive burden," said Wiederkehr. However, it was agreed that education has a special significance. Therefore, there are also investments in some areas, and savings have been made as little as possible in the classrooms. "It was not trivial to invest alongside consolidation," said Wiederkehr. Netzer, on the other hand, was not unsettled by the budget negotiations: "I have experienced budgets that were significantly more difficult without these months-long discussions."
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.