The teaching profession has fallen sharply
The reputation of the teaching profession has fallen sharply over the past ten years. The reputation of first-grade teachers who teach in upper secondary schools in particular fell down the social ladder: from 22nd place in 2006 to 43rd place in 2016. The image of primary school teachers is much less good than that of their colleagues in secondary education .
AObChair Liesbeth Verheggen: “You will find primary school teachers among the professions for which an MBO profile applies. While schools recruit among highly educated people. And in many cases, they can quickly get a job with more status. ”
Those conclusions are in the today published report: 'Status and image of the teacher in the 21st century' of the Research Center for Education and the Labor Market (ROA).
The researchers conclude that the image of the teachers is not going well. Surgeon is at the top of the list of 138 professions, followed by judge and mayor. The first grade teacher who teaches in the upper years of havo / atheneum and gymnasium comes in 43rd place as the first teaching profession in the list. The second grade teachers are in place 50.
MBO teachers have less prestige with position 59 and 'significantly lower' the primary school teacher is in position 69. Gym teachers are the lowest of all teachers at 89.
Differences
'The level of education required for the professional practice in combination with the salary seems to determine the differences in prestige between teaching professions', the researchers write in the report. They also see a significant decrease compared to ten years ago. 'There is a clear downward trend in the image of first-grade teachers in secondary education.'
The status of first-grade teachers dropped significantly by 21 places, but primary school teachers also fell on the ladder - from 42 in 2006 to 69 in 2016 - as did second-grade teachers, from 34 to 50. 'Compared with surgeons, lawyers, doctors and the legal profession, the teacher is much less respected, 'the researchers write. 'In the XNUMXs, a teacher in the senior years of HAVO / VWO was compared to a colonel in the army, nowadays to a sergeant,' the researchers write. What is striking is that primary school teachers can be compared in terms of prestige to secretaries and accountants, professions for which no higher vocational education is required.
Loon
Wages may be a possible cause for the decline in status. The pay of the entire professional group has decreased significantly in recent years, according to the ROA 'Where education in the 60s and 70s had relatively high wages compared to other sectors in the public domain, the pay differentials have become smaller and smaller. ' The salary picture is particularly unfavorable for PABO graduates. They earn less than their colleagues who start in secondary education and since 2008 their hourly wages have been lower than those of other HBO students.
“In terms of content, education has not yet been bothered much by it,” says AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen. “This is due to the efforts of our colleagues, but with an increasing teacher shortage, that is no longer sustainable. Prospective students see that you earn more in other professions and have a lower workload. Add to that the fact that in the recent past even politicians have spoken quite disparagingly about teachers and you end up in such a place. ” The AObchairman wants to see a U-turn during the cabinet formation.
Education stands or falls with good teachers. We will only get that if the workload is curbed and the salary goes up.
Feminization and aging
Feminization and aging of the sector also play a role in the image of the teaching profession. Just like the less exclusive position of teachers as a highly educated profession. To turn the tide, the ROA researchers recommend investing a long time in improving employment conditions, teacher training courses, good professionalization and image campaigns. "This is a long-term process," the report said.
