Pabo's don't like 'splitting'
At seven teacher training colleges, students can specialize in the young or older child. But the study programs and the students do not like a real split, according to an interim evaluation of this experiment.
Picture: Type tank
Seven teacher training colleges have been experimenting since September 2020 with specializations in young and older children. This one drivers originate from a political desire of CDA and VVD in particular.
With the specializations, politicians hope to reduce the teacher shortage. By making the profession more attractive, more young people would opt for teacher training. A majority of the House of Representatives is in favor of training that focuses entirely on the young or the older child.
Limited authority
However, graduates are then given limited authority. They are less versatile than their colleagues from an ordinary teacher training college who can teach groups 1 to 8. The teacher training colleges and the students do not like this limited authority.
Very few people involved in the pilots see any benefit in a split
'Very few of those involved in the pilots see the benefit in a split of the PABO training or a split competence', is stated in the evaluation. 'Almost every teacher training college is in favor of offering the specializations in addition to the regular curriculum.'
The previous minister, Ingrid van Engelshoven, already had a bill in the works to enable the division of powers – it was even posted online for comments from interested parties – but after the fall of the cabinet, the bill has been shelved. In a brief about the 'teacher strategy' of ministers Wiersma and Dijkgraaf, there is also nothing about a possible amendment to the law.
More specialists
Based on the pilots, the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences and the teacher training colleges will further elaborate the specialisations. The government expects that this will lead to more specialists being trained in young and older children. 'This will improve the education of students.' Other benefits would be that more people are attracted to the courses and that teachers are less likely to leave education thanks to 'clearer career prospects'.
There is a danger that the specialization is seen as the easy route for the young child
There are also disadvantages, says the evaluation. For example, there is a danger that specialization is seen as the easy route for the young child. Students might think they need to know less about math and language. Furthermore, students who specialize appear to be less motivated to learn something about the other age category, which they also need to know something about. Or the reverse: sometimes they discover that they would rather specialize in that other age and then there is a risk of dropping out.
Not necessary
The Educational Competence Committee, which got stuck on the system reform last year, ruled that splitting the PABO into a variant for young and older children is not necessary. After all, it is already possible to specialize, she writes. 's reactions AObmembers on this proposal were also very variable.
Quality of education should be the starting point in a discussion about the system of competences and not the teacher shortage
"First of all, this proposal should reduce the teacher shortage. We believe that quality of education should be the starting point in a discussion about the system of competences", responds AObdirector Thijs Roovers. "Moreover, it is unclear whether this change makes the profession more attractive. Teachers indicate that the profession is mainly becoming more attractive due to fewer teaching hours, higher salary and lower work pressure."
Support base
At the request of the ministry, the Educational Competence Committee elaborated on a advice of the Education Council, which proposed establishing one broad basic authority for all teachers. On top of that, there would be a system of specializations. The committee resigned after half of the members major objections such as the lack of support from the profession.
According to Roovers, it is not right that the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences is now given the opportunity to express its opinion on the split. “From a legal point of view, the professional group of teachers deals with this because it concerns the core of our profession. Here again the professional group is passed over."
Also read: The 386 Paths to Teaching from the March Education Magazine.
