In the future, a teacher training course for both the primary level (elementary school) and the secondary level (AHS, BMHS, middle school) will consist of three years of bachelor’s and two years of master’s training. In addition, so-called “protective functions” are planned for young teachers. Before completing their master’s degree, they are allowed to take on a maximum of half a teaching commitment.
Currently, a teacher training course for the primary level consists of four years of bachelor’s degree plus one year of master’s degree. The total duration remains the same – however, as before, regular teaching can be carried out with a Bachelor’s degree. In secondary school, four years of bachelor’s plus two years of master’s are currently planned – the planned reform would shorten the studies in this area by one year. The course should also be much more practical and the master’s degree should be easier to study alongside teaching.
Video: Statement from Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP)
“Setting a real milestone”
“We are setting a real milestone because following regarding ten years we are fundamentally overhauling the entire teacher training,” said Polaschek on Wednesday following the reform was approved in the Council of Ministers. There is a great need here from practice, including from students. “We are shortening teacher training, which is very long compared to the rest of the world, and creating a modern course of study that meets the demands and requirements of schools in the 21st century.” This would allow teacher training students to achieve their first academic degree (Bachelor, note) more quickly. However, completing the subsequent master’s degree remains a prerequisite for a permanent position.
For Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer, the conditions in teacher training will also be fundamentally improved with the reform. Above all, she emphasized the accompanying “protective measures” that are intended to prevent young teachers from burning out. There should also be better support for them when starting their careers from experienced mentors. Another important step is that in future all students in teacher training will have to take basic modules in inclusive pedagogy and multilingualism.
According to the decision in parliament, the changes in training still have to be anchored in the curricula of teacher training colleges (PH) and universities. Realistically, the changes for secondary school will only come into force from 2025/26 – there, PHs and universities will have to agree on common study plans. For the primary level (only the PH is responsible here, note) it would still be possible to start as early as 2024/25. In any case, there will be opportunities for students in the old curriculum to switch to the new training.
Plans for reform have been on the table for a long time
The plans for the reform had been on the table for a long time – but the Greens and the universities were skeptical. A shortening alone is not an objective, Maurer explained on Wednesday. On the other hand, the ÖVP, the teachers’ representatives, the universities of education and the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH), among others, campaigned for the shortening. According to reports, the Greens combined an approval with a yes from the ÖVP to the introduction of psychotherapy courses at public universities – these changes will soon be reviewed.
So-called “protective functions” are also to be introduced for those young teachers who teach in schools following completing their bachelor’s degree. They should therefore receive a maximum of half a teaching obligation, not have to take on a class leadership role and not have to give any non-subject-related lessons. In addition, the induction phase, i.e. the accompanied start phase in the job, is credited towards the part-time master’s degree.
The review period for the legislative package, which also contains, among other things, adjustments to the regulations on plagiarism and clarifications on the election of rectors at the universities, ends in mid-February. The announced “protective functions” for young teachers are to be regulated in an amendment to the teacher service law.
Criticism from the opposition
Criticism of the plans came from the opposition: in a broadcast, FPÖ education spokesman Hermann Brückl saw the “red-black botch” of the last reform around ten years ago as being prolonged. His NEOS counterpart Martina Künsberg Sarre welcomed the planned protection regulations for young teachers and the mandatory modules on inclusion and media education, but criticized the “double reduction” of the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree by including the induction phase. For SPÖ education spokeswoman Petra Tanzler, the shortening of studies is positive, but at the same time she missed the improvement in working conditions in schools.
Industry and the Chamber of Commerce spoke out in favor of the planned changes, but the latter also insisted on mandatory further training for teachers. The executive chairwoman of the conference of diocesan school heads, Andrea Pinz, welcomed via Kathpress that religious teacher training would be significantly upgraded and made more attractive through independent additional teaching qualifications.
