Preschool Religious Education in European Union Countries (Example of Vienna)

Abstract

According to the Federal Constitution's Article 14, in Austria, it is allowed that religious education is to be taught in schools, including children's nurseries and kindergartens. And also, religious communities could open schools. That is, churches and religious communities are authorized to teach religion within the general schooling system and according to legal possibilities. We can say that, the capital of Wien, the largest state of Austria, of nine states constitutes a perfect example in terms of private and municipal kindergartens. In Wien, some kindergartens attached to the municipality are completely free of fees, while for some, a small contribution is to be paid. There are also day care mothers and fathers (Tagesmütter und Tagesväter) and groups for children (Kindergruppen). Despite the existence of church organizations of Protestants and Orthodox Christians, Christian preschools are usually affiliated to the Catholic Church. There are also religious organizations for Jewish and Buddhists and kindergartens with religious education for children up to 3 to 6 years old. Muslims have the Islamic Religious Organizations (Islamische Glaubengemeinschaft). There are different kindergartens established by different associations and entrepreneurs such as Juwa and Funkelnstern by Muslims; Leben für lernen and Isma kindergatens by Austrian Muslims; Ifw, Wonder, Atib and Brotherhood schools that have pre-school religious education at the weekends. Parents have the freedom to choose between the private or municipal (städtisch) kindergartens in Austria. The aim of this study is to reveal the relationship between changes and transformations at certain stages of its life and formal / non-formal education in social life by examining of these kindergartens' life story closely. In the study, the data collected through in-depth interviews, observation and document analysis were subjected to descriptive and content analysis.

Key Words: Austria, Wien, Islam, Mosque, Religious Education, Kindergarten.

Special Issue of Educational Sciences

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-06-01