Young people avoid teacher training due to low salary
Young people who go to study mainly reject the teacher training college because of the low salary and lack of career prospects they expect. A teacher training course for secondary education is mainly unpopular because of their 'own experience as a student'.
Image: Pixabay
This is evident from a report by research agency Qompas on behalf of the Ministry of Education. The study asked HAVO students, VWO students and MBO students whether they intend to opt for a teacher training program and how the training could be made more attractive. A small number is considering going to a teacher training college or secondary school teacher training program, but the vast majority are in doubt or will certainly not go.
The researchers asked the doubters and those who do not choose the teacher training college anyway about the reason. The low salary scored highest among HAVO and MBO graduates to avoid the teacher training college. This is important, because in terms of numbers HAVO and MBO are the main suppliers of teacher training for primary education. For VWO students, the lack of career prospects is one and the low salary is second.
Top three forgo teacher training in primary education
| Weather | Mbo | VWO |
| Low salary 52% | Low salary 45% | Little career prospects 60% |
| Little career prospects 47% | Not working with children 41% | Low salary 57% |
| Own experience as a student 41% | High working pressure 39% | Little intellectual challenge 54% |
(Source: Qompas / OCW 2018)
The investigation report 'Optimal organization of teacher training' was completed in October 2018 and was sent to the House of Representatives last week, as part of a series of reports showing that the teacher shortage will only increases.
Parliamentary debate
These reports are discussed by the House of Representatives today during the general meeting of teachers. The report mainly looks at training variants, which are also mentioned in the cover letter from the Ministry of Education. The letter from the ministry does not mention the reasons for young people not to opt for a primary school teacher training course.
When all young people are asked how the image of teachers can be improved, a higher salary and more career opportunities in that salary are always high in the top three of desired measures. Interest in teacher training courses has fallen sharply in recent years, only in absolute terms has there been a slight increase in the past two years. However, because higher professional education as a whole attracts many more first-years, the market share of teacher training colleges has hardly increased compared to the low point in 2015.
Market share first-year teacher training college
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| 7,5% | 6,9% | 6,8% | 6,3% | 5,7% | 5,7% | 5,9% | 4,4% | 4,6% | 4,6% |
At the same time, the survey asked why young people do not want to opt for secondary education teacher training. Low wages and few career prospects among pre-university students score highest among those in doubt. For HAV students and MBO students, 'their own experience as a student' is the most important reason for not wanting to become a teacher.
De AOb sent a letter to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education in the run-up to today's debate. Read the letter via this link.
Listen here to the response of AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen in the Radio I Journaal and here in NOS on 3.
