Vienna is building container classrooms to accommodate the growing number of school-age children, driven by migration and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
These container solutions will supplement the existing infrastructure at five sites across the 10th (Favoriten), 11th (Simmering), 21st (Floridsdorf), 22nd (Donaustadt), and 23rd (Liesing) districts.
As reported by ORF, Vienna’s Deputy Mayor for Education, Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), dismissed concerns about educating children in containers, describing it as a necessary immediate measure.
According to the City of Vienna, over 4,000 school-age children and young people were enrolled in Vienna schools due to family reunifications between January 2023 and February 2024.
In response to the increase in family reunifications, Vienna introduced “orientation classes” in March. These classes are designed to prepare children who are not yet ready for school and are unfamiliar with the European school system for regular classes.
Describing the container classrooms, Wiederkehr stated that they would be equipped with “state-of-the-art technical equipment.” He also emphasised that factors such as the indoor climate were being considered: “Because we want all children in Vienna to have a good classroom,” he said.
The container classrooms are expected to be fully operational by the start of the new school year, with further measures planned to create additional school space.