Investigation Sought into Alleged Irregularities in Funding for Carinthia's Minority School System

An inquiry into the allocation of federal funds to Carinthia's bilingual minority schools is underway as concerns grow regarding the transparency and legality of the funding process. The scrutiny follows allegations of unclear financial practices and questionable personnel appointments within the region's minority education sector.

According to parliamentary sources, the current legal framework stipulates that schools offering instruction in Slovenian alongside German are eligible for federal support only when there is demonstrable and sustained demand. Official guidelines require a minimum of five Austrian students per year and per department enrolled in Slovenian language classes before funding can be approved. However, recent findings suggest that several schools may not meet these requirements, yet continue to receive financial support from federal resources.

Parliamentary inquiries have revealed that, upon request for detailed breakdowns of student numbers, only aggregate figures were provided by Carinthian authorities, falling short of the transparency mandated by law. Evidence indicates that in some cases, schools with consistently low enrollment figures still retain their status and associated funding as minority education institutions.

This situation has prompted questions regarding the accuracy and completeness of data submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education. Lawmakers are seeking specific information on student enrollment numbers for each bilingual school, categorized by department and grade level over the past five years. Further clarification is being sought on whether any corrective actions have been undertaken when legal thresholds for student numbers were not met, and if any federal funds have been allocated to schools not meeting eligibility criteria within the last decade.

Concerns have also been raised about the appointment of key personnel within Carinthia's minority school administration. The head of the relevant department has reportedly been serving in a provisional capacity since 2008, despite not holding the formal qualifications required by law for both German and Slovenian instruction. Additionally, the deputy head is said to be simultaneously holding a position as a school quality manager, a combination that does not conform to existing legislative provisions.

Legislators are calling for a review of whether the regional education authority has expanded the powers of the minority school department beyond its lawful remit, and are requesting data on enrollments in elective Slovenian language courses during the same period. The central demand is for greater transparency and adherence to existing regulations regarding the allocation of federal funds to ensure that only institutions meeting statutory requirements receive support.

Lawmakers are urging the Ministry of Education to implement stringent measures to guarantee that future funding is limited exclusively to schools that are legally entitled to receive it. They emphasize the necessity of proper stewardship of public resources and adherence to the law across all segments of the education system, including minority education.

The Ministry is expected to respond to the parliamentary inquiry with comprehensive data and an outline of any intended reforms designed to improve oversight and compliance within Carinthia's minority school system.