Universal Periodic Review

Take concrete steps to promote inclusive education for children with disabilities in the mainstream school system

Proponent:

Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Apr 1, 2025):

Austria lacks the political will to implement a fully inclusive education system. There is no precise information on the budget allocated to individual children’s needs to enable appropriate measures for equal access to education. The Second National Action Plan on Disability 2022-2030 (NAP II) does not promise any effective changes in the area of inclusive education. None of the 31 measures in the education chapter, which sets inclusive education as a goal, have their own budget funds available. Inclusion is only mentioned when it comes to pre-determined learning content and educational goals of school types, which contradicts the human rights-based model of disability. As a result, children and young people with learning difficulties and cognitive disabilities are largely excluded from educational opportunities after compulsory schooling (see the National Disability Action Plan on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs: https://www.sozialministerium.at/Themen/Soziales/Menschen-mit-Behinderungen/Nationaler-Aktionsplan-Behinderung.html).   There is still no legal entitlement to an inclusive kindergarten place. In Vienna, due to parental protests, a compulsory kindergarten year and an 11th and 12th school year were temporarily offered for children with disabilities, but with restrictions and redistributions. The children are largely redistributed, often lose their afternoon care (and parents their jobs) and sometimes have to be transported across Vienna, even though they previously had a place with afternoon care at their place of residence. In addition, recreational teachers continue to be cut or converted into assistant teachers, which jeopardises the quality of the profession and the inclusive multi-grade classes. The quality of the profession and the inclusive multi-grade classes is jeopardised. The Austrian Ombudsman Board has been informed, there have already been two television programmes on this and there will be another review shortly (see link to the „Citizens‘ Advocate“ programme on the topic of children with special educational needs (SEN) on the website of the Austrian Ombudsman Board: https://volksanwaltschaft.gv.at/artikel/11-und-12-Schuljahr-fuer-Kinder-mit-Behinderung available).
  As part of the Government Plan 2025-2029, the Federal Government is launching a process to improve child and youth welfare, harmonise standards and provide funding for cross-sectoral projects (see Government Plan 2025-2029: https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/bundeskanzleramt/die-bundesregierung/regierungsdokumente.html).