More than 1,100 students missed compulsory summer school

Austria’s education directorates reported 1,133 school attendance violations after children failed to attend compulsory summer school this year, ORF reported. More than 60,000 students took part in the programme, with the highest number of violations recorded in Vienna, Upper Austria and Styria.

Around 15,600 students were required to attend. The Education Ministry said about seven per cent of them missed the programme. Across both voluntary and compulsory participants, just over three per cent of those registered were absent during the 10-day course.

This year, the programme focused on language support for the first time. Attendance was compulsory for children who had been in a German support class at the start of the summer term, as well as newly admitted students classified as extraordinary students.

The summer school began in 2020 to address learning gaps caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2022, students with particular interests and talents have also been able to take part.

There were 920 locations and 4,200 groups nationwide, taught by about 4,800 teachers. Of these, 3,362 were in active employment, while another 1,432 worked under contract, mainly students and retired teachers.

Registrations reached a record of about 60,000 this year. The ministry said voluntary participation also rose substantially compared with previous years, citing 41,100 voluntary participants in 2025. Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said the programme helped expand educational opportunities, and that compulsory attendance for children from German support classes could improve their starting conditions for the new school year.