Slovenian minority opposed to schools closing
Klagenfurt, 7 March - After the authorities said on Tuesday that two folk schools in Carinthia, Austria would close due to low enrolment, the National Council of Carinthian Slovenians (NSKS) opposed the decision on Thursday.
Klagenfurt, Austria.
Headquarters of the National Council of Carinthian Slovenians (NSKS)
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
File photo
According to the Carinthia education agency, the folk schools in Mali Šentvid/Klein St. Veit and in Šentilj/St. Egyden will not enrol enough students in the next school year and will be ordered to close, reported the Austrian public broadcaster ORF.
The NSKS said it does not accept the decision and that small schools are "an educationally valuable introduction to school life".
While unable to organise large events, small schools pose interesting challenges for parents and teachers, benefit children and help strengthen rural areas, the NKSK said.
"The educational value of such schools cannot be measured in costs and numbers, especially not if it is a small, bilingual school," the NSKS wrote, adding that the authorities are required to take care of the Slovenian minority by the Austrian State Treaty and by federal and provincial constitutions.
Locals have started a petition against the closure of the bilingual Šentilj school and have collected 860 signatures, ORF reports.
The NSKS said this is far from the first such closure and urged that Carinthia legislation be changed in a way that ten pupils, or six under special circumstances, are enough to keep a school open, as is the case in Tirol.