Tutoring demand reaches record high in Styria

Tutoring demand in Styria has reached an all-time high, according to a study by the Chamber of Labour reported by ORF. Around 46,000 pupils need additional support, representing more than one in three schoolchildren in the region.

Parents in Styria spent 18.1 million euros on tutoring during the last school year, 1.5 million euros more than the previous year. The increase reflects both higher costs and growing demand.

The trend is particularly strong among younger children. Alexandra Hörmann, head of the Chamber of Labour’s education division, said 21 percent of primary school pupils now need or receive tutoring, compared with around 15 percent two or three years ago.

Mathematics is the most common subject

Mathematics is the subject most frequently requiring tutoring, followed by German and foreign languages. Around 7,000 children in Styria also needed support but could not afford it, according to the study.

Chamber of Labour President Josef Pesserl said this reflected a broader problem. He criticised the idea that tutoring was being treated as a normal part of the education system, describing it as a repair service that is only used once the damage has already occurred.

Pesserl called for the gradual expansion of full-day schools with integrated teaching. He also criticised the slow progress of reforms that have been demanded for years, saying the existing school system was still living in the era of Maria Theresa.

He further called for more funding and staff for schools with particularly high support needs. Resources, he said, should be distributed more according to the level of support children actually require.