Teacher shortage forces school in Almere to stop student
De Bongerd in Almere, a school for special education, is temporarily unable to accommodate students due to the lack of teachers. Also at the Olivijn, another school under the same foundation, most classes are no longer able to accommodate students.
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This is reported by the Almere Special Foundation, which includes the schools for special education. The directors of the schools are creating a waiting list for the new registrations, the school board reports. “We have drawn a line to maintain peace for current teachers and students,” says director Hetty Vlug.
Teachers at De Bongerd teach and mainly guide students with psychological and behavioral problems. There are pupils with (multiple) physical limitations on the Olivijn. In a message on the website writes the school foundation: 'Due to the small scale of our schools and our specific educational offer, the under-staffing of teachers in the daily implementation of our education is noticeable.'
Due to the small scale of our schools and our specific educational offer, the understaffing of teachers is noticeable in the daily implementation of our education
Director-driver Vlug says that several emergency solutions have already been taken due to the teacher shortage. For example, a four-day lesson week has been temporarily set for a class for six weeks. "At De Bongerd the classes are larger this year than last year," says Vlug. “The tension is always: where is the limit. The pressure on the teachers is increasing. Their work is tougher and we always have to see if it fits the support needs of the students. ”
Recruit
The school foundation is working hard to find a teacher for De Bongerd. At the beginning of January, Vlug hopes to have found a suitable candidate. “As soon as there is a teacher, a class can be started. For the rest, we must use our creativity to recruit teachers, but also make sure that we keep the permanent teachers. ”
The PvdA in Almere has a council of mayors and aldermen written questions about the decision of the school foundation not to admit students anymore. The party wants to know from the college whether the students can go to other places in the area to receive special education.
