Pabo more popular, second-grade teacher training programs are dwindling
Interest among students in a second-degree teacher training program is declining. For the second year in a row, fewer students have opted for teacher training at a university of applied sciences. Pabo courses are on the rise.
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This is evident today from new figures from the employers' organization Vereniging Hogescholen. The figures show a decrease in the intake to second-degree teacher training courses since 2017. It concerns full-time, dual and part-time courses. In 2018, 3683 students decided to start a second-degree teacher training course. This academic year there are 3481, a decrease of 5,5 percent. Looking at full-time courses alone, the decrease of 6,5 percent in 2019 is even greater. In 2018, 2773 students chose to follow a full-time teacher training program, in 2019 that number has dropped to 2592.
Shortage courses
Especially the short courses of German and mathematics can count on fewer students. This academic year, 126 students chose to become teachers of German in the lower years of secondary education. That's the lowest number in the past five years, and a decrease of 28 percent from 2018.
Mathematics was also less popular: 285 students registered for the second-grade teacher training program in 2019. Like German, this is the lowest number of students in the past five years. In 2018, 327 students enrolled, resulting in a decrease of 2019 percent in 15. The subjects English and French could also count on fewer students. Dutch and chemistry saw the influx increase slightly.
The subjects English and French could also count on fewer students. Dutch and chemistry saw the influx increase slightly
The share of second-degree teacher training programs in the total intake into higher professional education has decreased in recent years from 3,6 percent in 2017 to 3 percent this academic year.
Op the website informs the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences that in 2019 more students chose to study at one of the universities of applied sciences. A total of 113.422 students enrolled, a growth of 2,8 percent. According to the employers' umbrella, this growth is mainly due to the increase in the two-year associate degrees. Just like last year, the share of VWO students who choose a higher vocational education program has also risen, although this is a small percentage of the total intake.
Pabos
The enthusiasm for teacher training colleges among students is greater, as the figures show. This academic year, 5205 students started a full-time, part-time or dual bachelor's program that leads to primary school teachers, an increase of 9,5 percent compared to the previous year. The growth is mainly in the part-time and dual programs.
This academic year 9,5 percent more students started a teacher training course
The employers' umbrella organization also noticed the increase. 'The shortage on the labor market affects us all. Universities of applied sciences feel responsible for contributing to a solution for this. I am pleased that we can now see that reflected in the figures, 'says chairman Maurice Limmen. The VH says that the proportion of men who choose a teacher training course is increasing faster than the number of women and notes that it is good that 'extra efforts' are bearing fruit.
Actions
AObdriver Douwe van der Zweep is happy with everyone who opts for teacher training. “Unauthorized teaching is disastrous for quality, so the more trained teachers the better. This is especially good news for the teacher training college. ” Yet these numbers are still far from 'good enough', according to Van der Zweep. “In 2024 there will be a shortage of three thousand full-time jobs. So more needs to be done than the few hundred students who are now applying more. Moreover, teacher training courses for secondary education show a decline. So action remains necessary. ”
