More schools are reaching out for an emergency solution for a four-day teaching week
Primary school de Regenboog in Blerick, Limburg, is forced to switch to a four-day teaching week this week. In the north of the country, special education students are also forced to go to school one day less.
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“We don't have enough replacement,” says Hans Soentjes, chairman of the board of the Kerobei school foundation, which includes the Rainbow. For the first time, the Limburg primary school is setting up a four-day teaching week, which means that a different class has to go home every day. Tomorrow, for example, group 4 has no class, because the replacement pool is empty.
“It's all poverty, this has nothing to do with the quality of education,” says Soentjes. "As a school team, we have our backs to the wall and I foresee major problems with a flu wave."
It's all poverty, this has nothing to do with the quality of education anymore
Special education
Not only in Limburg are they reaching for the emergency solution of a four-day lesson week. Also
Leendert de Boom, chairman of the executive board at RENN-4, says that three of his thirty school locations have a four-day teaching week. “At the Diamant College for special secondary education, only the final exam classes are taught five days a week. All other classes are forced to go to school four days a week ”, says De Boom.
At the Kaleidoscope for special education in Friesland, four groups switched to a four-day lesson week from the Christmas holidays. From that same holiday, a four-day schedule has been set up at sbo de Delta for one group.
We do notice that there are enough jobs and that people prefer to opt for regular education
De Boom: “The Diamant College has been on a four-day schedule for more than seven weeks. The Education Inspectorate is aware of this and is clear that it is allowed for a maximum of seven weeks, but necessity breaks the law. For the other two locations, the emergency measure is in effect until spring break. I am hopeful that we will find someone for that. ”
Currently, RENN-4 fifteen vacancies. The school group is not only looking for teachers, but also behavioral specialists or teacher support staff. “We notice that there are enough jobs and that people often prefer regular education,” says De Boom.
Look away
Both De Boom and Soentjes think that politicians have looked away too much. Soentjes: “This was already announced ten years ago. We are now in trouble. I am really angry with national politics. ”
The chairman of the board of Kerobei - with a total of eighteen schools - says that the school foundation supports the strike demands of the nationwide strike on March 15. The school board has recently informed the staff that they will not continue to pay this time if they leave the work.
To care
In Groningen, the local PvdA has meanwhile written questions about the four-day lesson week at RENN-4. The city council must act quickly, says PvdA councilor Julian Bushoff. 'Everyone must be sure of good education. Especially these vulnerable young people. '
In Zaandam, pupils from the Tamarinde primary school have been teaching for four days for several months. Yesterday reported the NOS that parents are fed up and have made an enforcement request to a compulsory education officer.
