
The Ministry of Education is set to introduce special classes in response to the recent increase in family reunifications.
These classes will focus on school-age children arriving through reunification processes and will encompass German-language courses as well as foundational skills typically developed in kindergarten, facilitating the children’s eventual integration into regular classes.
Changes to the curriculum have been underway since April. Additionally, the Ministry of Education will provide more teachers and support staff.
Over 4,000 school-age children and young people were enrolled in Vienna schools due to family reunifications between January 2023 and February 2024. According to the City of Vienna, the largest group comprises Syrian children with Arabic as their mother tongue, many of whom have not attended school for years and have spent part of their lives in refugee camps. The proportion of illiterate children is also high.
In March, Vienna introduced “orientation classes” due to the significant influx of family reunifications. These classes prepare children who are not yet ready for school and are unfamiliar with the European school system for regular classes, for up to two months.
Earlier this week, Statistik Austria announced data showing that around 22% of school-age children in Austria do not hold Austrian citizenship. Read more: One in Five School Children in Austria Lack Austrian Citizenship