Plan to combat teacher shortages
The Ministry of Education has an action plan ready to combat the upcoming teacher shortages. The solution lies, among other things, in improving the influx and outflow of students to teacher training courses, retraining people outside the education sector and improving the image of the teaching profession.
On 24 February, State Secretary Sander Dekker of Education the plan to the House of Representatives. He did this in response to a motion submitted by GroenLinks MP Rik Grashoff together with the PvdA.
Deficiencies
The teacher shortages are on the way - although this differs per region - and will be greatest in primary education, writes Dekker. Calculations show that in 2020 there will be a shortage of four thousand primary school teachers. Five years later, this has risen to ten thousand teachers. At secondary schools, the shortage of 1200 teachers in 2025 will be much lower. It is especially difficult to find teachers for science subjects and foreign languages. Many teachers in MBO are retiring and technical programs in particular will face shortages. If there is a maximum number of teaching hours for teachers, many more teachers will be needed.
The Ministry of Education has come up with five solutions to reduce the deficit.
School boards, teacher training institutes and unions must further develop these solutions. Dekker also wants cooperation in the regions.
For example, there should be a higher and more diverse intake at teacher training courses. 'This is a major task', writes Dekker. The registrations for the PABO fell after the introduction of strict admission requirements. The Ministry of Education wants teacher training institutes to now review their policies to improve intake. In addition, Dekker will investigate which barriers there are for prospective students who are considering a teacher training course. Regions where there are many shortages should attract students to the teacher training college with, for example, job guarantees.
Retraining and Retrieving
Another solution is to retrain people who work in another sector of the business. Just like bringing back people with a teaching qualification who are now working elsewhere. Extending hours for part-timers is an option in the short term, according to Dekker. Also, the retention of teachers in education is desperately needed. This can be done by properly guiding starters, but also by improving the image of the profession. Salary is an important point for young teachers whether or not to stay in education.
To invest
De AOb warns been in short supply for a long time. AOb-chairman Liesbeth Verheggen believes that there is nothing wrong with the proposed measures. “But investments are needed to give these measures a chance of success. Extra budget for a better salary and measures to reduce the workload are essential.”
Verheggen says that the AOb has been indicating for years that school boards must employ redundant teachers. Even when there were more teachers than vacancies. “You really need these people again with the approaching teacher shortage. And once you leave education, you hardly come back, is the experience.”
