The Austrian Education System
The Austrian education system
School in Austria is free and public and compulsory for all children for 9 years. The education for children is divided into three main categories which are primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school.
Due to the School Act of 1962 a legal basis was set for primary and secondary education. Furthermore, these two school types are managed by the state.
Primary education lasts for four years. The Lower Secondary education lasts also four years and the students have the possibility to inscribe for the general secondary or the academic secondary school. Next, upper secondary education lasts for five years. The first school year at upper secondary level is the final year of compulsory school for the Austrian’s majority. Finally, after finishing five years of upper secondary school schoolchildren receive the A-levels which is an entry to higher education for example, university.
Apart from that, private schools are mainly provided by the Roman Catholic Church with a small percentage of 10 %.
All in all, Austria has an adequate education system with a variety of schools and educational facilities. Moreover, if students choose the apprenticeship training the Austrian education system offers a job specific training and enables them to gain essential experience during the training period.
However, a critical and controversial point, especially in the Lower Secondary school and at University, is that the state pushes a lot of money in the school system but it isn’t used effectively. A reason could be the old school and bureaucratic administration. It is my firm belief that, only a small amount of the state’s donation is used for teaching material. I have experienced that in my science class in the Lower Secondary school. There we had gadgets which were at least 20 years old and didn’t work properly.
Besides, there is a lasting lack of teachers who are not sufficient educated. So when it comes to the situation that a
School in Austria is free and public and compulsory for all children for 9 years. The education for children is divided into three main categories which are primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school.
Due to the School Act of 1962 a legal basis was set for primary and secondary education. Furthermore, these two school types are managed by the state.
Primary education lasts for four years. The Lower Secondary education lasts also four years and the students have the possibility to inscribe for the general secondary or the academic secondary school. Next, upper secondary education lasts for five years. The first school year at upper secondary level is the final year of compulsory school for the Austrian’s majority. Finally, after finishing five years of upper secondary school schoolchildren receive the A-levels which is an entry to higher education for example, university.
Apart from that, private schools are mainly provided by the Roman Catholic Church with a small percentage of 10 %.
All in all, Austria has an adequate education system with a variety of schools and educational facilities. Moreover, if students choose the apprenticeship training the Austrian education system offers a job specific training and enables them to gain essential experience during the training period.
However, a critical and controversial point, especially in the Lower Secondary school and at University, is that the state pushes a lot of money in the school system but it isn’t used effectively. A reason could be the old school and bureaucratic administration. It is my firm belief that, only a small amount of the state’s donation is used for teaching material. I have experienced that in my science class in the Lower Secondary school. There we had gadgets which were at least 20 years old and didn’t work properly.
Besides, there is a lasting lack of teachers who are not sufficient educated. So when it comes to the situation that a