The summer holidays in Salzburg finally start on Friday: the long-awaited breather for students and teachers.
The last day of school in Salzburg: 64,023 students received their long-awaited certificates on Friday. After turbulent months, the school year is finally over. While the largest number of certificates are now distributed in elementary schools (see graphic), a small proportion of the 610 students who fled Ukraine also receive one. However, most of them are registered as non-degree students and only receive a so-called school attendance confirmation. “There was so much uncertainty,” says student representative Georg Müller. After the schools were able to start face-to-face classes in autumn, it wasn’t a month before the first schools had to close again due to the high number of new Covid infections. Shortly thereafter, the three-week Austria-wide lockdown started with a 7-day incidence of more than 3000 in schoolchildren. Parents were able to leave their children at home and distance learning returned. But this learning method was not easy for most students and led to psychological stress for many (Krone reported). “The mental health of young people has been neglected for far too long,” says Müller. The youth referendum “Mental Health” aims to change this. “We want a school where everyone feels comfortable.” Pupils and teachers should be able to relax during the holidays. While Matura balls were able to take place again in autumn, most school activities had to be completely canceled in the following weeks and months in winter: school country weeks, ski courses or There were no day trips. Regular operations in the schools could only be resumed in spring, despite the shortage of teachers. Although thousands of refugees from Ukraine were stranded in Salzburg at the time, making the already difficult situation in the schools even more difficult. According to Daniela Gutschi, State Councilor for Education (ÖVP), it is not yet clear how things will continue in the coming autumn. But it is certain that Salzburg’s students and teachers should use the summer holidays that are now starting to take a breather.
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