. "Every_fourth_child_needs_help_with_their_schoolwork_according_to_a_new_study_by_the_Austrian_workers_chamber,_the_Arbeiterkammer_(AK).")
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28. 06. 12. - 11:35
Parents save on extra tuition for kids
Every fourth child needs help with their schoolwork according to a new study by the Austrian workers chamber, the Arbeiterkammer (AK).
The revelation has reignited debate about whether an all-day school system might better serve the country.
The study found that many parents are unable to afford outside support to provide the extra teaching that their children need and therefore they provide that themselves. At the primary school level (Volksschule) 9 out of 10 parents work with their children. But even in the secondary schools there are still four out of every 10 parents that personally give their children extra tuition.
The study also said that 27 per cent of all children – representing around 265,000 – need extra tuition.
That means that the level has not really changed in the previous year but what has changed significantly is the amount of parents that are paying out for the extra tuition needed – which fell by 20 million in 2011 from 127 million down to 107 million.
AK-President Herbert Tumpel said the problem was that many could simply not afford to spend the money on the extra tuition.
He said: "The old half day school is causing the same problems as in the previous year. 77% of parents need to help their children with homework and with schoolwork and to prepare for tests. That is equivalent to 47,000 full-time staff that they are replacing. This is of course most common with the primary school kids – 88 per cent – and these numbers haven't changed but far fewer are now spending money on teaching staff for the kids."
The study looked at almost 3000 families with children.
