After an unusually large number of children were withdrawn from school by their parents at the beginning of the school year, the Ministry of Education changed the way external students are examined at short notice: This year, as an exception, these examinations are to be taken at the end of the school year by a specially convened commission. In addition, these do not have to be filed at every school location, as is usually the case, but bundled in the respective educational region.
Several written exams
In Upper Austria, this is likely to affect just over 1,000 students: of the 1,408 children who have been de-registered, more than 310 students have returned to the classroom, according to the state’s education department. It can be assumed that more will follow after the semester break.
With the help of the external student examinations, it should be clarified whether the subject matter could be sufficiently conveyed to the compulsory school students during their home schooling. Depending on their age, the students either only have to take oral exams (up to the third grade of elementary school) or oral and written exams. The number of exams is greatest in the eighth grade: Here, tests have to be written in three subjects, and the material from 13 subjects is examined orally.
In the oral exam, two questions generally have to be answered, and 50 minutes are available for a written test, according to the Education Directorate yesterday. If a child does not pass its exams, it has to repeat the school year – but no longer in home education, but in a school with public rights.
According to the Directorate of Education, it is not yet regulated at which locations the external student examinations are taken. “We are still waiting for the federal government’s specifications for this,” it said yesterday. This also applies to the exact examination days and a template for the composition of the examination committee.
In contrast, the Ministry of Education announced concrete plans to the public yesterday: According to this, the education departments should set up appropriate commissions by the beginning of March. In addition to school quality managers and members of the specialist staff, teachers can also be represented – but only on a voluntary basis and remunerated accordingly, according to a written broadcast. (never)
Source: Nachrichten
