The Inspectorate should map out teacher shortages
The magnitude of the teacher shortage is greater than is currently visible. That is why the Education Inspectorate must map out what emergency measures schools take and how often they put unauthorized persons in front of the classroom. That says AObprimary education director Eugenie Stolk.
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"The shortage of teachers is greater than is now visible," says daily director Stolk. "The website teacher shortage.nu does a good job, but it is up to schools themselves whether they want to report their problems. Off our own survey among many thousands of members it became clear that the shortage is disrupting schools. Meanwhile, classes are merging, children are being sent home and desperate schools are running one four-day school week in."
It became clear from our own survey that the shortage disrupts schools
Seriously
That is why the government - the Education Inspectorate - must map out emergency measures. The minister must oblige schools to report to the inspectorate if they resort to an emergency measure due to the teacher shortage. Stolk: "Only in this way does the seriousness of the problems become clear."
Unauthorized persons
De AObdirector believes that this should not only happen in primary and special education, but also in secondary education and senior secondary vocational education. "More and more unauthorized persons are being used in secondary education. Some schools want to stop offering German as an optional subject, because there is no teacher to be found. As the inspectorate already wrote in the State of Education: the shortage threatens the quality of education and increases inequality. From its monitoring role, the Inspectorate is the most appropriate party to take on this task."
