More than 4,000 people began kindergarten teacher training this academic year, marking a 30 percent increase from the 3,100 students in 2024. Enrollment rose at Educational Institutes for Elementary Pedagogy, with 2,317 starting the five-year BAfEP path.
A total of 837 first-year students entered academic education paths for elementary pedagogy, a sharp rise from 153 two years ago. While BAfEP college programs saw 885 starts, 276 began bachelor's degrees and 447 are in Elementar+ or ElementarPro courses.
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr noted the growth as the government allocates 32 million euros for the sector. This funding aims to provide 4,000 additional training places by 2028/29, supported by 114 new lateral entry university course students.