Inspectorate gives a firm verdict on aoc Nordwin College
According to the Education Inspectorate, the supervisory board (rvt) and the executive board (cvb) of the Frisian aoc Nordwin College have made major mistakes. There was maladministration and financial mismanagement at the VMBO / MBO school for green education.
Image: Google Maps.
That is stated the research report of the inspection recently published. The inspectorate took a close look at administrative actions in the period from January 2017 to March 2018. The investigation was aimed at the former supervisors and the former chairman of the board. Since the beginning of this year there is a new board chairman; Ilona Dulfer. The inspectorate started the investigation after signals of financial problems and an administrative crisis.
In the report, the inspectorate concludes that the actions of both the supervisory board and the executive board left serious to be desired. The maladministration consisted of financial mismanagement and 'serious negligence' to take steps to ensure the quality of education.
Distance
The mutual cooperation between the chairman of the board and the supervisors did not work, the report states. The chairman of the board took too little time to create support for decisions and he kept the supervisors at bay.
The inspectorate also saw shortcomings in the supervisory board. 'The supervisory board lacked the professional attitude necessary to fulfill its role actively and effectively. This has been noted in particular on strategic themes. ' Although the supervisory board and the board president met, they did not discuss the really important themes for the school. The control had been insufficient for years, the inspectorate concludes.
Family culture
The inspectorate mentions the family culture at the school: addressing each other and giving direction was not done enough. Until June 2017, the Executive Board consisted of two people, then one: Ton Stierhout. In the report, the inspectorate states that Stierhout played a 'very dominant role'. In his defense, Stierhout states that the inspectorate is accusing him of cases that have already been rejected in court. The fact that he wanted to keep the regulators at a distance is, according to Stierhout, "a reversal of reality."
The current management of the school calls the report 'painful', but acknowledges the criticism. The school board does point out that they are working hard to make improvements. For example, there are various plans to get the finances in order, as well as the management and quality of education. "We have confidence in the improvements we are working on and the turnaround that is underway," said the board on the Nordwin College website.
Trust
AObdistrict director Hayo Bohlken saw in December 2017 that things went wrong at Nordwin College. He supported the works council last year when there were 35 jobs had to disappear to put the finances in order. “There was an acute problem,” says Bohlken. “The school was on the brink of bankruptcy. This report from the inspectorate is not tender, but I do have faith in the recovery plan so that the school will 'survive' this ”.
