Ideas for Reducing Bureaucracy in Schools Sought
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) announced further steps on Tuesday to simplify administration in schools. As part of an online idea initiative, school principals, teachers, experts from pedagogical universities, and administrative staff are invited to make suggestions on how bureaucracy can be reduced to the essentials. Recently, Wiederkehr had already promised to cut 80 percent of the circulars to schools by the ministry starting in the fall.
Wiederkehr Launches Online Idea Initiative
"Good schools are created through relationships, trust, and school autonomy - not through control and instructions," Wiederkehr explained the initiative in a statement to the APA. Forms, lists, and reporting obligations take time away from teachers for what is truly important. A "real cultural change" is needed here.
School principals, teachers, staff of pedagogical universities, and administrative personnel at schools, education directorates, and the central office can submit their ideas for debureaucratization starting today at https://www.bmb.gv.at/Themen/schule/fpp/freiraumschule.html. The goal is practical solutions that strengthen the autonomy of schools and relieve individual locations.
Implementation of as Many Suggestions as Possible Starting in the Fall
Over the summer, the best suggestions will be further developed with experts from the education system to implement as many of them as possible in the upcoming school year. In a further step, interested parties will be able to personally contribute in regional workshops and feedback forums starting in the fall.
In addition to questioning all administrative tasks, the "Freiraum Schule" initiative aims to give schools more decision-making power and flexibility on site, and thus more opportunities for school-autonomous development. The ministry also cited more freedom for innovative approaches as a goal: "Schools are not a place of lists and rules, but a space where creativity and innovation have their place."
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.