Thousands of distance learning laptops and tablets
More than sixteen thousand laptops and tablets are on the way - or have already been delivered - for students who do not have a device at home to work on. There are not enough of these yet, says education minister Arie Slob.
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During the update to the House of Representatives, writes Minister Arie Slob: "There is still a demand for devices in different regions." Schools that are still looking for laptops or tablets for their students can here to make a request.
Eighty / twenty
Slob also comes with numbers *. In primary education an estimated 3,5 percent of the pupils are taken care of. That would then concern about 50.000 children. Schools and municipalities expect this number to increase slightly.
About 50.000 children are cared for in primary education
Roughly eighty percent of these children in emergency shelters have parents with a vital profession. Twenty percent receive care because of the vulnerable home situation.
In particular newcomers and children growing up in poverty are not yet well understood, the minister writes. That needs to change soon. 'We expect municipalities and schools to identify every child and encourage them to offer as many solutions as possible to children who need it,' the minister writes.
Academy 10
Secondary education has no formal agreements about childcare, but according to Slob there are local initiatives. He mentions that of the Utrecht secondary school Academy 10. This school recruits volunteers, who are then linked to students as buddies via the mentors. The executive organization VO-Raad will promote this working method nationally via the website Thuisschoolmaatje.nl.
More guidance
The minister also says that a fifth of the students need more guidance than can be provided at home. Childcare outside the home is required for approximately 6 percent of the pupils. In special education, care for pupils with severe behavioral disorders and psychiatric problems continues as best as possible, mainly in digital form and sometimes at school. And in MBO, students can come to school in small groups without digital resources and 'in accordance with the guidelines of RIVM'. Provided the MBO institution chooses to do so, says Slob.
Vacation is vacation
If all goes well, the Minister will receive advice from the Education Council in the near future on how to improve pupils and students when the schools reopen. He is already looking into additional summer schools.
Slob emphasizes a number of times that students and teachers do not have to compensate for teaching time. Not during holidays, education-free days and not in later years either. Schools should not oblige this. 'Of course it is possible to offer distance learning or extra guidance on a voluntary basis, but teachers and students are entitled to a holiday,' said the minister.
* Figures are based on polls among members of the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), the General Association of School Leaders (AVS) and the PO Council, reports the letter from the minister.
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