No region without a teacher shortage
The Netherlands has a shortage of more than 9.000 full-time teachers in primary education. That is soon almost 13.000 teachers. For the first time, there are figures about the teacher shortage throughout the Netherlands.
Image: Pixabay
From research of Center data, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, it appears that nationwide almost 10 percent of teacher employment is not filled. This concerns 9100 full-time jobs. Because many teachers in primary education also work in smaller part-time jobs, there is currently a shortage of almost 13.000 teachers*In 2020, 129 thousand people (teaching staff) will work in primary education and 92,6 thousand FTEs. (Source: Education in numbers) On average, teachers worked 72 percent of full-time employment. That percentage has been fairly stable for years. 9100 FTEs in 2021 will therefore probably be close to 13 thousand people -> 9.100 x (129 thousand / 92,6 thousand)..
The cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Almere (the G5) are on average 14 percent short in teachers, it wrote Education magazine before. For the rest of the Netherlands this is an average of 8 percent. Mutual differences are large, but there is no region left without a teacher shortage.
Source: Center data, reference date October 1, 2021
Hidden vacancies
Vacancies are open for the 9100 missing full-timers, but they also represent hidden vacancies. Think of teaching assistants who teach the class, unauthorized lateral entrants or, for example, expensive temporary workers. The sector is short of regular jobs by 6800 FTEs nationwide. In addition, 2300 FTEs are available for replacement jobs lasting longer than six weeks. Problems with short-term replacement are not included in the study.
Too many people have left the profession and too few choose this wonderful work
Thijs Roovers is a director at the AOb for primary education: "The problem of the teacher shortage has now become a problem for the whole of the Netherlands. Too many people have left the profession and too few people opt for this wonderful work. Work pressure and moderate pay make people decide to do something else .
Roovers: "In any case, the pay gap with secondary education will be closed after years of campaigning. We keep hoping that more people will opt for this profession. But even then it will really take some time before we have enough colleagues again."
Facts about the teacher shortage:
Special education
• Special primary education (13 percent) and (secondary) special education (11 percent) have higher deficits on average than regular primary education (9 percent)
No teacher shortage
• In Almere, Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht (G5), only 11 percent of the branches do not have a teacher shortage. Outside the G5 that is 41 percent.
Make us a director
• Outside the G5, the shortage of school leaders is higher (13 percent) higher than the shortage of teachers (8 percent). In the G5 these percentages are closer together. Nationally, the Netherlands is short on average by 13 percent of school leaders, which is approximately 1100 FTEs
Heavier target group means higher deficit
• The Centerdata figures prove that the more complex a school's student population, the greater the teacher shortage
In the last weeks of his ministry, Arie Slob shared the Center data research† Among other things, the AOb has been asking for factual information about the actual shortages for years. Finally, the minister was motion SP, the PvdA and GroenLinks were forced to collect the data.
Extremely high
The cities of Almere, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht (G5) have been asking their schools to share the open vacancies and hidden shortages on their own initiative for two years now. In some neighborhoods in four of these five large(er) cities, shortages are running extremely high.
| City | City district with the largest shortage | Teacher shortage |
| The Hague | Laak | 28 percent |
| Almere | Almere Port | 27,9 percent |
| Rotterdam | Feijenoord | 22,1 percent |
| Amsterdam | Amsterdam North | 20,9 percent |
Source: Center data, reference date October 1, 2021
Glass sphere
According to the latest predictions of the Ministry of Education, the teacher shortage should have peaked. But then minister Slob gave in a letter has already pointed out to the House of Representatives that this crystal ball gives 'a provisional and possibly too positive image'. This is mainly because the Central Bureau of Statistics probably underestimated the births during corona time, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education. The number of teacher training students is actually higher than the ministry previously expected.
The ministry will update the estimates for primary education this spring, taking the actual teacher shortages as a starting point.
De AOb argued this week in favor of the Delta Plan for education.
