Slob finds money for a regional approach to teacher shortage
Education Minister Arie Slob (ChristenUnie) is allocating 13 million euros to tackle the teacher shortage in the regions. He has also 'found' 7 million euros in his budget to increase the subsidy scheme for side entrants. He announced this this afternoon during the debate about teachers in the House of Representatives.
Picture: House of Representatives
It is not about 'new' or 'extra' money, the minister of education reported in the House, but about money that has not been used up this year at other educational posts, such as the Teachers 'Fair and the teachers' register. Normally, this money flows back to the treasury of the Ministry of Finance, but Slob announced that it will now remain with education.
He wants to spend the money to ensure that the regions can take measures to combat the teacher shortage. Regions can use it to recruit, train and retain teachers. Slob wants to start with the four largest cities and expand to other regions later. According to the minister, cooperation should mainly be aimed at tackling the shortages, which differ per region. The minister also mentioned a national table where difficult issues from the region are discussed as quickly as possible in order to arrive at practical solutions. Slob emphasized that this is one of the approaches to solving the teacher shortage, but that other actions, such as the silent reserve, are more appealing to go back to the classroom.
Structurally
AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen thinks it is good that there is money for an approach in the region, but also calls for structural measures to solve the teacher shortage. “The greatest urgency is and remains the workload combined with the salary. Money for the teacher shortage is important, but money for the teachers who are still there would be even better. ” The AOb sent three letters to the House with the positions in the run-up to the debate.
Slob also repeated in the House that he does not allocate extra money to close the pay gap between primary and secondary education. “I was happy with the coalition agreement where substantial amounts had already been made available. That was the maximum for now. ”
Slob also repeated in the House that he does not allocate extra money to close the pay gap between primary and secondary education
Side entrants
During the debate it also became clear that the subsidy scheme for side entrants will be increased by 7 million euros. Many parties, including the CDA and the ChristenUnie have already indicated that this is necessary. The Education Magazine previously brought the news that the subsidy ceiling had been reached and that schools received an email about this and that - despite the shortages - they put the brakes on recruiting new side entrants.
Education Minister Slob announced this afternoon that there was a 'spectacular' growth in the number of applications for the subsidy whereby people from another professional sector obtain their teaching certificate within two years. The ministry had taken into account 160 applications, but the number has now reached 350. Despite this, no applications have yet been refused, the minister reported.
Investments
The opposition parties such as GroenLinks, PvdA and the SP argued for additional investments. For example, GroenLinks MP Lisa Westerveld said that the cabinet could show more ambition to make education more attractive. Together with the PvdA and SP, she had taken various measures, such as resolving the pay gap between primary and secondary education in order to make education more attractive. Or more janitors per school. Westerveld: “The coalition says: we will not vote, because it is not in the coalition agreement.”
SP Member of Parliament Peter Kwint suggested that administrators and school leaders stand in front of the class one day a week in order to combat the shortage. Minister Slob sees nothing in the plan to make this mandatory.
