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Current debate in the teaching committee on the topic “School in Fall: Conditions changed due to Corona”
Vienna (PK) – Schools would be well positioned in today’s challenging times, emphasized Education Minister Heinz Faßmann at the current teaching committee time on the theme “School in Autumn: Conditions Changed Due to Corona.” The department head presented the deputies with his new coordinated concept for better cooperation between the school and the health authorities. This mainly includes faster COVID-19 tests. So-called gargle tests and pilot studies with antigen tests should help identify cases of infection more quickly. Opposition parties praised the minister’s commitment to keeping schools open, but criticized the measures they deemed too late.
The Minister of Education wants to continue fighting for open schools
Despite the current difficult situation, there is a functioning education system in Austria, emphasized the Minister of Education at the beginning of his remarks. Currently only 9 out of 5,800 schools across Austria would be closed. Furthermore, according to a survey conducted by his ministry, 80% of parents would be satisfied with starting school, Faßmann reported. For him, this is a clear vote to fight for open schools. The balance between protecting health and the normal functioning of schools must constantly be rebalanced. For example, mouth and nose protection should only be worn when entering schools and in hallways, but not on site.
In principle, rapid tests would be essential for the school to function, explained the department head. This is necessary “to bring back the insecurity of the school system.” To increase the speed of the test, a pilot with rapid antigen tests is currently starting in Tyrol and Lower Austria. The goal is to quickly determine if there is an infection or not. This project will be carried out in cooperation with mobile teams with school doctors. If this method proves promising, it should be rapidly expanded throughout Austria, the minister said.
SPÖ calls for faster implementation of tests in schools
All political groups praised the minister’s commitment to open schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sonja Hammerschmid (SPÖ) also appreciated the confidence emanating from the minister, but criticized the late implementation of the measures in autumn. Hammerschmid called for nationwide antigen testing to be implemented more quickly because the Vienna findings were already available. The gurgling tests are also available from the beginning of September, Hammerschmid contradicted the minister. When asked why there hasn’t been a group of substitute workers for teachers who are sick, Faßmann referred to 600 positive responses from future teachers. However, he currently saw no shortage, because only 200 of the 123,000 teachers would not be in school due to COVID-19.
Her colleague from the parliamentary group Katharina Kucharowits (SPÖ) was concerned about the situation of children with disabilities in schools. Many of these children would not have received the necessary support in the spring. The education minister assured Kucharowits that when there is a red light, special education facilities should also be kept open.
ÖVP: Important “Location Principle” for Uniform Approach
Gertraud Salzmann (ÖVP) emphasized that he did not want to use the word “chaos” in connection with the start of the school, as that would not do justice to the teaching and administrative staff. During the summer many important concepts and decrees would have been promoted. Salzmann welcomed the fact that from now on the “location principle” would apply to quarantine notices. That would contribute to a uniform approach by the authorities. To combat the pandemic, however, communication between the federal government and some federal states could be expanded, the ÖVP deputy warned.
Nico Marchetti (ÖVP) praised the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the city of Vienna in the introduction of the gurgling tests. Due to the electoral campaign in Vienna, this could not be taken for granted. When asked if the gargle tests were harmful to children, Minister Faßman was able to clearly deny.
FPÖ locates ambiguity in the traffic lights of the Corona school
Hermann Brückl (FPÖ) stated that it had not been possible to strengthen the feeling of security among those affected at the school. Above all, the Federal Chancellor created a climate of fear through his announcements. Many parents would worry about possible educational losses and the social isolation of their children. In his view, it is also unclear who is responsible for changing the crown traffic lights in schools and how the two traffic lights are linked. The traffic light would be changed by the Crown Commission of the Ministry of Health, Faßmann replied. In addition, there would be no separate “school traffic light”, the commission experts would also be responsible for the traffic light colors in schools.
His group colleague Hannes Amesbauer (FPÖ) referred to conflicting reports in the media and on the Ministry of Education website regarding the crown traffic light in schools and asked for clarification. He criticized that not all school rules on COVID-19 were understandable. The distance rules for students outside the school building will not apply. Regarding the ventilation of the classrooms, Amesbauer expressed concern that the children were very ill with the windows open in winter. The minister referred to brief ventilations every 15 to 20 minutes. That would be completely sufficient and would have been communicated in the Ministry’s hygiene manual.
Greens: School in the tension between normality and chaos
Sibylle Hamann (Greens) welcomed the measures taken by the Minister of Education. Since the spring she had been fighting with him for open schools. He saw the situation in Austrian schools “somewhere between normality and chaos.” The determining sentiment in the COVID-19 crisis is uncertainty across the board. Although the Corona stoplight is currently being heavily criticized, it can be assumed that it would still provide a lot of help.
Eva Blimlinger (Greens) raised the question of the possibility of “proving himself out of quarantine” in the future. The department head noted that this was still an open topic. It should be clarified from how many days of quarantine this makes sense, but assume that this step will come. Regarding the question of clarifying whether children under 10 would now be defined as K1 or K2 contact persons, the minister referred to the recommendation of the Ministry of Health. In the future, these children should be treated as K2 contact persons.
NEOS are supporters of open schools
Martina Künsberg Sarre (NEOS) also thanked Faßmann for his commitment to open schools. In this matter, the NEOS would be comrades in arms with the minister. However, he criticized the measures taken too late by the ministry. The “digital school is still in its infancy”. He wanted to know from the minister what steps the ministry had taken in the summer to open the school, in addition to wearing masks and keeping distance. In this context, Faßmann referred to many discussions with stakeholders, for example with federal states and municipalities. Many conceptual measures were prepared in the summer, including digital teaching. (Continuation of the teaching committee) med
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