About a third of Vienna's elementary school students are Muslim

Currently, the Islamic religion represents the most populous group among elementary school students in Vienna, followed by non-religious students and Catholics, the Austrian capital's education directorate announced on Tuesday, citing data from public elementary schools.

35 percent of Viennese elementary school students are Muslim, 26 percent are non-religious, 21 percent are Roman Catholic, 13 percent are Orthodox Christian, and the rest are Protestant or belong to other denominations, the data shows.

At the same time, adding the data of private schools, which make up about 10 percent of the sector, the proportion of Muslim students would decrease, sociologist Kenan Güngör told reporters on Tuesday.

Compared to the 2016-2017 school year, the ratios have shifted considerably, although according to experts, students were counted based on a different system in terms of their religious affiliation. At that time, according to data from the city education office, 31 percent of elementary school students identified themselves as Catholic, 28 percent as Muslim, and 17 percent as having no religion.

MTI

Cover photo: Illustration / MTI/EPA/Farúk Hán