Teacher shortage much greater than official figures
The teacher shortage is much greater than the official figures used by the Ministry of Education this year. This is evident from the emergency plans of The Hague and Rotterdam, in which the 'hidden vacancies' have also been mapped: vacancies that are being filled, for example, by putting unauthorized people in front of the class. In The Hague, the number of hidden vacancies is already eight times as large as the number of official vacancies.
Picture: Type tank
At the beginning of 2019, there was no shortage of teachers. At least, on paper. This is reported in the report 'The future labor market for teaching staff' researchers at Centerdata published this month.
However, in practice there was of course a teacher shortage. And the researchers know that themselves. But it was just a bit difficult to map. Because yes: the previous estimate predicted a shortage of 2018 full-time jobs in primary education for 1800. 'Yet all pupils went back to school at the beginning of this school year,' the researchers write. And that raises the philosophical question of what a 'shortage' actually is. 'It depends on what you consider an admissible size of a class', the researchers write, 'a maximum workload, a maximum size of employment, a minimum quality, competence, etc.'
There will soon be a whole generation of students entering secondary school who have not been able to receive the primary education they were entitled to
And because it is not possible to give a hard number about the current shortages, the researchers have set the teacher shortage to zero at the beginning of 2019. The shortages now predicted are therefore always 'the extra shortages on top of the situation in 2018', warns Centerdata.
Bus driver
“Nice and easy”, scoffs AObchairman Eugenie Stolk. “Suppose there are two bus drivers too few in a neighborhood. You cancel one bus line, at the other line you put a passenger behind the wheel. Then you conclude: you see, that's the way it goes: there are no shortages at all. ”
However, the calculation is convenient for the Ministry, because with this calculation method the teacher shortages are of course lower. 'The policy that has been implemented to tackle the deficits is now showing a positive effect', the ministry jubilated in a letter to the Lower House last month.
However, the calculation is convenient for the Ministry, because with this calculation method the teacher shortages are of course lower
Emergency plans
That it is indeed possible to answer the philosophical question 'what is a shortage?' To answer, let the emergency plans of The Hague and Rotterdam that were presented yesterday. In both cities, the 'hidden vacancies' have been identified: vacancies for which an alternative solution has been found because no qualified teacher is available. 'Emergency solutions that put further pressure on the quality of education and the teaching team', writes The Hague.
AObchair Eugenie Stolk: 'A disaster of national magnitude is unfolding'
Exceed
In Rotterdam, the number of hidden vacancies appears to far exceed the number of official vacancies of 120 by 40. In The Hague, the number of official vacancies, 41 in total, is even just the tip of the iceberg. In this city there are 332 hidden vacancies. The number of hidden vacancies is therefore eight times as large as the official vacancy figures indicate.
Ramp
“This makes me silent”, responds AObchairman Stolk. “A disaster of national proportions is unfolding. Soon a whole generation of students will enter secondary school who have not been able to receive the primary education to which they are entitled. This has an effect on secondary education and later on in society. And then Minister Slob comes with the 'good news' at the presentation of the emergency plans that he is releasing nine million euros for lateral entrants? That is a complete disregard for the seriousness of the situation.”
