Meeting with politicians

Pupils want more democracy education

Education Director Alfred Klampfer, Education Minister Martin Polaschek, Sophie Helm AHS state school spokesperson, Katharina Pillinger BMHS state school spokesperson and Deputy State Governor Christine Haberlander.(Bild: TINA GERSTMAIR)

State school spokeswomen from AHS and BMHS presented their key concerns at a meeting with Minister Polaschek: more democratic education and personalization of learning. 

Goodbye summer vacations: Today marks the start of school again in Upper Austria, and not just for the 15,253 Taferlklassler. But what do the older pupils, who are about to enter working life or university, want? Democracy should not only be taught theoretically in everyday school life, but actively experienced, demanded BMHS state school spokesperson Katharina Pillinger at a meeting of the newly elected state student representatives with Education Minister Martin Polaschek, Deputy Governor Christine Haberlander and Education Director Alfred Klampfer.

Politics as a simulation game
Pillinger wants initiatives such as a trip to Brussels, a political simulation game and the provincial student parliament to bring pupils closer to the principles of democracy and promote their political education - also with a view to its importance for integration.

More "personalization" of learning
AHS state school spokesperson Sophie Helm emphasized the role of individualization in everyday school life during the discussion. She said that pupils should have the opportunity to pursue their own interests and talents in order to develop individually. Such personalization of learning is crucial to meet the different needs of students and provide them with the best opportunities to develop.

Representing 190,000 pupils
The regional student council is the legally established and democratically elected representation of all 190,000 pupils in Upper Austria. It is made up of the three areas of AHS, BMHS and BS. Each area has an eight-member team, headed by the three regional school representatives.

Will the wishes help? In any case, the two pupils were praised by politicians and the Director of Education for their commitment.

Krone-Kommentar

Schule als das „Allheilmittel“

If something goes wrong in society, be it in education or integration, there is always a political solution - namely the school should fix it. Bernhard Hemetsberger, education researcher at the University of Klagenfurt, has written an interesting book about how the institution of school is constantly overburdened and at the same time talked down to.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

The scientist calls for public schools to be strengthened. Otherwise, the "flight" of parents to private providers would become even stronger. A development that is detrimental to democracy because there is no common ground.