'Involve teachers in emergency solutions for teacher shortage'
The say and input of teachers is indispensable when discussing emergency solutions to combat the teacher shortage. That is the opinion of the majority of the Almere city council.
The council wants the education alderman to ensure that the professional group is given a structural and equal position at the consultation tables.
A motion calling for this, was recently adopted with 33 votes in favor and 8 votes against. Six parties submitted the motion: SP, BIJ1, GroenLinks, AP/OPA, PvdA and the Party for the Animals. An important signal, especially since Almere, together with the four other major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht (G4), is most affected by the teacher shortage.
Deficiency
Research agency Centerdata indicates that the teacher shortage in Almere is 19,2 percent of total employment in primary and special education combined. The agency uses the reference date of 1 October 2022 for this. This amounts to a shortage of around 237 full-time employees. The teacher shortage is not evenly distributed within the city. For example, the need is greater in Almere Stad-West and Almere Poort than in Almere Hout. Almere is consulting with the G4 to combat the teacher shortage. In 2019, the cities agreed on emergency measures.
At the table
Now a majority of the council is calling on education alderman Roelie Bosch to involve teachers in consultations about the emergency measures. “The motion is clear and ready. We therefore advocate that the teachers also sit at the table to give their input. Invite them to the table when there are talks between school boards and the municipality about the teacher shortage," said SP council member Ellen van de Baan when the motion was discussed. According to her, it should not go over the heads of the teachers.
By putting the professional group at the table, you get workable solutions
A majority of the city council agrees. While discussing the motion earlier in March, education alderman Bosch said she finds the motion 'superfluous'. She believes that teachers are very involved, especially when drawing up the teacher shortage emergency plan. “They have been consulted extensively.” If the council wants specific involvement from unions, they should appeal to the school boards.
workable
AObDistrict manager Philippe Abbing prepared the motion together with fractions from the city council. “Now the education alderman will have to indicate how she wants to get started with this motion,” says Abbing. “By bringing the professional group to the table, you get workable solutions that are not just dropped from above. You also get an honest picture of whether the solutions that have been devised really work. Finally, the schools have to work with it.”
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