‘Extra money actually increases the shortage of teachers’ | Inland

That is what the Sector Council for Specialized Education (GO) and the PO Council say to NRC. Schools use the money, among other things, to provide extra lessons, which means that more teachers are needed. This leads to problems, especially in special education and schools in deprived areas. A number of schools have already switched to four-day school weeks to fill the gaps in the schedule.

Due to the 8.5 billion euros from the National Education Program (NPO), teachers have more choice from schools in the tight labor market, which means that they are not quick to choose schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, for example. This reinforces the inequality of opportunity. “With this money in hand, teachers are pulled in such a way that they go for the axe,” says Wim Ludeke, board member of the Sector Council GO. “The temptation to switch to regular education or to be seconded as a self-employed person is great.”

Outlying municipalities

According to NRC, the PO Council, the association of primary school boards, also sees that schools that were already having a hard time are now having it even more difficult. “We see that schools in peripheral municipalities suddenly have much more money, and therefore more vacancies, which would otherwise only arise in a few years when someone retires,” chairman Freddy Weima told NRC.

A member poll shows that 80 percent of primary school boards want to use the money for additional staff, but 42 percent do not know where to get it from. The PO Council is already receiving signals that schools are more often switching to emergency measures such as a four-day school week and online education.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) informed NRC that schools with a high risk of arrears will receive a larger part of the 8.5 billion euros.

–