Many young people in secondary schools now see the switch to the old regulation as “unequal treatment”. So far, protests have been planned in two places in Salzburg for the coming week – at the federal upper secondary school in Straßwalchen (Flachgau) and at the Caritas school in the state capital.

SPÖ-affiliated student representatives with criticism

The SPÖ’s “Action of Critical Pupils” (AKS) is behind the protests. Their representatives want the oral Matura to take place only voluntarily today. According to an even more far-reaching requirement, only the average grade of the last two school years should be used for the Matura, says spokesman Stijn Maas: “We want the ministry to start thinking about what the Matura should look like after the CoV crisis.”

Threat of a nationwide strike

The student representatives now want to put more pressure on Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP). They are threatening nationwide strikes on Wednesday next week. The Ministry of Education has so far offered a possible restriction on the topics for the oral Matura as a relief. A later submission date for the pre-scientific work, which is also required as part of the Matura, could also be used. That’s not enough for the young opponents of this authority in the schools.