'My son only went to school for two days for months'
Norinda Isberta is concerned about the cancellation of lessons at the MBO College Almere Poort. Her son is in his second year of accounting. She reported to the hotline for the AOb. “There are also shortages in MBO.”
Picture: Type tank
From the start of the school year until just before the Christmas holidays, lessons were dropped on a structural basis. “My son had a two-day school week for a while,” Isberta says. “On Monday and Tuesday he went to school, the rest of the week he was 'free'. At first he thought that was wonderful, but after so many months his study attitude and motivation also decline.”
Messy and restless
Isberta reported the hotline of the AOb where pupils, parents, teachers and other educational staff from primary, secondary and vocational education can make a report. In the meantime, more than 650 reports have been received by the association. “I am concerned about my son as it has been restless and messy for a while. Is the curriculum he has received enough to start an internship or to pass exams well so that he can get a diploma?”
Is the range of lessons my son has had enough to do an internship?
Since January, her son has been given more lessons and teachers have been found for subjects such as English and citizenship. “What I also find difficult is that there has never been an information evening about the shortages and problems. My son is seventeen years old and therefore a minor and of compulsory school age. As a parent, you want to know what's going on and what solutions there are.”
Isberta made the report because she wants to make it known to the world that there are also problems in MBO. “I myself work in primary education and it has been known for a long time that there are many vacancies, but the shortage can also be felt in other sectors.”
Not optimal
The Roc van Flevoland acknowledges that the start of the school year - between September and November 2019 - has indeed been 'not optimal'. Spokesperson Janneke Toet said by email that two teachers had left: an economics teacher and a teacher who taught English. From the beginning of December, the economic subjects were taught again and an English teacher has now also started. 'This means that all subjects are filled in and the class receives all the lessons that are part of the course', according to the spokesperson.
De AOb calls on parents, education staff and other stakeholders until March 17 to report lost hours or structural shortages. Lesson cancellation? Report it!
