Zug,26.11.2015

The rising cost of education in the canton

With a committee recommending that as many as four educational establishments might have to close in order to cut costs, the Neue Zuger Zeitung looked into how much education actually costs the canton.
 
In 1997, 10,800 pupils attended schools as part of their compulsory education in the canton. Last year the number increased to 11,100, up by 3%. According to official figures published by the canton, the costs for running all of those schools which provide primary and early stages of secondary education rose by a staggering 87% in the same period. In precise terms, the cost of running these types of school amounted to CHF 55.8 million in 1997, rising to CHF 103.9 million in 2014.
 
Stephan Schleiss, the cantonal director of education, said that people were continually making more and more demands on schools, not least with regard to increased provision for looking after pupils (in addition to teaching time). Then the introduction of a policy of integrative teaching, such as when pupils with disabilities or challenging behaviour are taught alongside “normal” pupils, also meant increasing the number of staff and assistants.
 
“It is these increased staffing costs which make up the bulk of expenditure on education in the canton,” said Schleiss. “They are far higher than material costs such as maintenance of school buildings and such like.”