Georg Stockinger Calls for Stronger Performance Focus in Austrian Secondary Schools

Georg Stockinger, the newly elected chair of Austria's AHS teachers’ union (FCG), urged a tighter emphasis on student performance in secondary schools. He argued that maintaining a national education standard requires schools to "demand performance" and said, "If I want students to succeed and Austria to have an educational standard, we must allow performance to be required."

Stockinger warned that artificial intelligence makes it easier for pupils to fake results, recommending more frequent in‑class testing and a review of the current assessment regulations. He also suggested allowing selected homework problems to be worked out during class, arguing that exams should be seen as an incentive rather than a mere formality.

The union leader’s appeal targets education authorities to adapt policies to these challenges.