Styrian students demand more say in schools

Only about a quarter of students recently met education standards in reading and maths, according to Austria’s Education Ministry. The Styrian state student representation is calling for more support and greater student involvement, ORF reports.

A report on individual skills assessments presented on Tuesday found that maths and German skills are declining across Austria. AHS student representative Magdalena Mayrhofer said the results were deeply worrying and pointed to social inequality as one of the education system’s biggest challenges.

Mayrhofer said about two-thirds of her colleagues needed private tutoring, but many could not afford it. Students also increasingly needed psychological support, she said, while provision in schools remained insufficient.

The student representation also opposes requiring children to choose their educational path so early. Students must decide at age 10 whether to attend an AHS, or academic secondary school, or a Mittelschule, or middle school. Mayrhofer said a comprehensive school model could allow them to make that choice at 14 instead.

More than 100 student representatives from Styrian schools attended an education congress in Graz on Monday, organised by the state student representation with regional politicians. Participants wanted to help shape decisions, Mayrhofer said, but currently had more opportunity to speak than to influence outcomes.

The representation is calling for students to elect its members directly, saying this would help it represent them and their concerns more effectively. Education standards in Austria have been assessed through studies since 2009, with results previously trending upwards.