LVO board withdraws permission for commercial exam training
The director of the Bouwens van der Boijecollege, one of the schools of the Limburgs Secondary Education Foundation (LVO), immediately withdraws permission for commercial exam training that two teachers wanted to offer at the school in Panningen. Initially, the board approved the idea.
Picture: Type tank
“We made a misjudgment. It is a sour pill that we did not see coming," says Tine van Wijk, chair of the central management cluster LVO-North.
Last year, two secondary school teachers came up with the idea of setting up their own examination office for students in VMBO, HAVO and VWO. Van Wijk: "The teachers had previously given training themselves through another agency. They saw that many students had to travel quite a bit for this. The teachers therefore wanted students to follow training closer to home at the school in Panningen. It would be paid training for the exams." According to the board member, the teachers themselves would not provide training.
Op the website The Exam Trainers Until the beginning of this week, it could be seen of the teachers that these were two training days that cost 175 euros per day. Meanwhile, the site is down due to their employer's decision.
Noise
“I want to say emphatically that these are two valued colleagues. They really wanted to do something positive and have always been open. But when they publicized their training sessions, there was a stir on social media. The Ministry of Education also thought it was impossible. There is always the appearance of a conflict of interest," says Van Wijk. “You cannot refute the fact that they could earn money from Bouwens students if they register, even if the teachers themselves do not provide training. We should have weighed the idea differently, I understand the criticism. Teachers have to prepare their students for the exam within the regular educational offer of the school and that is what is happening.”
We should have weighed the idea differently
Surprised
Bouwens does not allow teachers to provide their own training courses in the school or have their own exam office, says Van Wijk. on the Facebook page let the two teachers know that they are "utterly surprised and in disbelief" at the decision. Their intentions were good, they write, and they communicated carefully. “We are convinced it would be a huge success. Unfortunately it shouldn't be.'
The students who had already signed up for the training sessions will receive their money refunded and have been informed that the training sessions will not continue.
