More sport activity for pupils needs more cash

The President of the Vienna School Board, Susanne Brandsteidl, believes the intended introduction of daily gym lessons for full time schools is a positive thing. However, the discussion is still continuing on the issue of financial resources for teachers and gym halls.

Around 32,000 children and young people will be affected by the introduction of daily physical education lessons at full time schools. Claudia Schmied (SPÖ) issued the corresponding decree on Wednesday.

Susanne Brandsteidl described the idea of daily physical education as “excellent” in an interview with “Radio Wien”. However, she also said: “We assume that the financial resources will be provided. If this is agreed upon, then either sports teachers, trainers or teachers will undertake some form of sport with the pupils on a daily basis”.

From the beginning of the next school year, 1,148 teachers could be lacking in Viennese schools, mostly in the area of special needs education.

Exactly how the physical education lessons will be arranged has not been finalised. In some locations, there may not be enough space in the sports halls.

An alternative would be running and playing football outside in summer, and swimming in indoor pools during winter. However, in this case, there would not be much time left over for sport considering the time needed to change etc.

The Ministry of Education is also not excluding the possibility of double sports lessons every two days. This is not acceptable for Ms Brandsteidl. She argues that this was not a daily gym lesson.