School board De Hond received 130 grand too much, according to the inspection
The Amsterdam school board Education 4 Nieuwe Tijd received between the end of October and April 130 euros in funding for one of its two Steve Jobs schools, De Voor departure, while that school no longer provided education. With this conclusion, the Education Inspectorate confirms earlier reports by the Education Magazine today.
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The Education Inspectorate decided to conduct a formal investigation after the Education Magazine in March questions about the funding of De Voorsprong. The issue, which was already on the agenda of the Inspectorate itself, received the necessary attention in the media. The school board was placed under tighter financial supervision last year.
Download: Report O4NT The Advantage
An inspection spokesperson announced this morning that the inspection is now considering possible follow-up steps. The Education Inspectorate also finds that the school board unlawfully spent two thousand euros on student transport. In addition, due to an administrative error in the 2014-2015 school year, the foundation was over-funded by just under 700 euros due to double counting.
Plug out
In the summer of 2014, the school board of Education 4 Nieuwe Tijd, chaired by Maurice de Hond, launched two Steve Job schools in Amsterdam: De Ontplooiing in the Nieuw-West district and De Voorlijst in Zuidoost. Because the number of pupils was lagging behind, the board decided to phase out The Advantage. In July 2016, the parents of the 24 students were told that the plug would be pulled next summer.
After that message, most parents decided to transfer their children to other schools in the summer. At the beginning of October the school had only five students, four of whom moved to other schools that same month. The school closed its doors at the end of October.
One pupil remained registered after the autumn break because, according to the board, he could not just go to another school. In order to investigate whether the student would need extra support, he was temporarily placed via the partnership in a school for special primary education of another foundation in mid-November.
Benefit
That process took longer than the maximum three months and was only completed in early April. The costs were borne by the partnership. All the while, the board received several tens of thousands of euros from government funding per month for the closed school. For the entire period from November to April, this involves a 'funding advantage' of 130 euros. The student is likely to stay in the special primary school.
As of October 24, 2016, De Voor departure no longer complied with Article 1 of the Primary Education Act, as it was no longer a school providing primary education on that date. The educational activities with regard to the pupil placed elsewhere cannot be attributed to O4NT. After all, it has not been observed in what way O4NT took concrete responsibility for or was accountable for the education of its pupils', the report concludes.
Although the inspectorate was aware of the decision to phase out De Voor departure, the inspectorate said it was not until mid-February that the school was actually closed.
In good faith
The school board states that it acted in good faith and that the interests of the students were paramount. The foundation was looking for a solution to a unique situation that had arisen after almost all students had left after the start of the school year. According to De Hond, there was regular contact with the relevant authorities.
'The board is of the opinion that it has shared with the inspectorate several times that the school would be closed earlier and that action was taken, partly on the basis of information from DUO, on the conviction that the funding would then the school year would continue ', says De Hond in a statement. The phasing out of De Voor departure saved money, he argues: the foundation had been able to keep the school open for another two years with a small number of pupils.
According to the board, the money has gone to education. De Hond wanted to use part of the funding for the closed primary school for extra manpower at De Ontlooiing, he stated earlier. the Education Magazine.
Other foundation
With the report, the administrative adventure may be given a financial tail, should the inspectorate decide to reclaim it. Three years after the start, the school board wants O4NT to disband, as De Ontplooiing is also facing disappointing growth. The students will be transferred to another educational foundation, that is the intention.
The Amsterdam school board O4NT should not be confused with the other O4NT foundation set up by De Hond, which focuses on the guidance of all Steve Job schools and the implementation of the educational concept.
Last week, De Hond announced to step down as the figurehead of the Dutch Steve Jobs schools. Within his company sCoolsuite, he wants to focus on the foreign market.
