Schools get two years longer for eliminating corona backlogs
Schools will be given two more years to spend the money from the National Education Program (NPO) to eliminate corona arrears. Also, a larger part of the money goes to schools where students have a higher risk of falling behind. The minister is also increasing the amount available for secondary education students.
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That is what education minister Dennis Wiersma (VVD) announces today with a letter to the Chamber. At the beginning of February, clearly that he is 'positive' towards an extension, he reported during Question Time. Now the details are clear.
"In my short time as minister, I have already seen with my own eyes that the corona crisis is still or again causing additional challenges in many areas in all kinds of areas, including in the implementation of the NPO," Wiersma writes.
In my short time as minister, I have already seen that the corona crisis continues to create additional challenges in all kinds of areas
Extension
Schools are therefore given the opportunity to spend the money they receive next school year in the two school years after that: 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. Previously, it was intended that schools would use the NPO money by July 2023 at the latest. With the money they can an intervention choose, determined by the ministry, to eliminate learning disadvantages. Although the minister is extending the duration of the program, he still calls on schools to make haste with the plans, because this is important for students.
Distribution
The interim evaluations give the minister a better idea of where the money is most needed. That is why he is now making a number of adjustments in the distribution of the budget. Secondary education benefits from this, in this sector the basic amount per pupil rises to 820 euros. It is now the case that the amount in primary education is the same as in secondary education. According to the minister, that is incorrect, because secondary schools have been closed for much longer because of the pandemic, and therefore the learning disadvantages are greater. Primary education retains a previously promised basic amount of at least 500 euros per pupil.
Schools for special primary education (sbao), secondary special education (vso), practical education (pro) and the upper years of pre-vocational education (vbo) are looking forward to a higher basic amount per pupil in the 2022/2023 school year. Wiersma: 'Sbao, pro and upper secondary vocational education receive 1,5 times the basic amount per pupil. The v(so) receives twice the basic amount per pupil.'
Bigger budget
Schools with many pupils who are at risk of educational disadvantage will in future receive a larger part of the budget. Wiersma says that he wants 22 percent of the total resources in these schools. In the current school year, this was still a percentage of 12. The contribution increases if the risk of arrears is greater.
Before the summer, schools must update their school scan and then it must be clear which interventions they will take to clear the backlog. The Mr's must then have agreed.
Structurally
De AOb has advocated from the outset structural investments to tackle the crises in education. The teacher shortage, work pressure, inequality of opportunity and declining performance. The union was not alone the Education Council also recommended linking it to structural investment. AObChairman Tamar van Gelder then said: 'The NPO is a one-off investment of billions, while our call to tackle the structural problems has been heard since 2017. And structural problems require structural funding.'
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