'Start of the school year in jeopardy'
During the summer holidays, director Baukje van der Wissel of Montessori Child Center Zeeburgereiland (MKC) in Amsterdam had to search for two invaders to complete her formation. This was achieved in the nick of time with a lot of effort and stress. Today the lessons started again. "All the stretch is gone now."
Picture: Fred van Diem
Schools in the north of the Netherlands started again this morning after the summer holidays. Nevertheless, director Van der Wissel did not have a quiet holiday, because she suddenly had two vacancies to fill. “Three years ago it was no problem to find people. Now I am permanently busy filling vacancies. That has finally been achieved - at the last minute - for this year.”
Hustle
The start of the school year was almost jeopardized. In Amsterdam, all stretches are gone, according to Van der Wissel. The capital is suffering from the increasingly acute teacher shortage, figures from Centerdata also show. If the policy remains unchanged, Amsterdam school boards will not be able to fill one in eleven jobs by 2023 with authorized teachers and directors.
Three years ago it was not a problem to find people. Now I am permanently busy filling vacancies
"You wonder whether this can go on like this for how long." And then MKC is also a school that is growing. In January a new class will start which also requires a teacher. “Last year we wanted to start with nine small classes. That eventually became nine large classes. ”
The representatives of the educational organizations draw attention to the teacher shortage at MKC Zeeburgereiland in Amsterdam. AOb-chairman Liesbeth Verheggen (fourth from the right): "More investment in education is needed." (Image: Fred van Diem).
That is why Van der Wissel, together with her overarching school board, Together Between Amstel and IJ (STAIJ), today asked attention for the teacher shortage. The banner #Teacher Wanted when parents came to take their children to school and AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen was present with nine other representatives of the educational organizations participating in the campaigns. Verheggen: “The cabinet really needs to invest more in education. Schools have their hands in their hair. We see that again in Amsterdam today. ” The educational organizations have therefore been drawing attention to the campaigns since the schools started. A commercial is distributed and banners are hanging.
Assessment
STAIJ director Arnold Jonk was also present at the start of the school year and the kick-off of the campaign in the Northern Netherlands. He's worried. “I made an inventory of how many people wanted my schools if there was no teacher shortage. That involved 25 people. 10 percent of the Amsterdam schools fall under our board, so it would be 250 people for the entire capital. ”
Jonk sees that many schools are keeping the teacher shortage invisible by taking emergency measures themselves. For example, side entrants who come straight to the classroom or make part-timers work more when they actually do not want to. At MKC they also have side entrants for the class. “They do receive good guidance from the foundation, but they are right in front of the class,” says Jonk.
Attractive
Meanwhile, the parents with children trickle in: the school year begins. At the MKC today they have found a teacher or side entrant for each class. At the last moment. A father bringing his child looks at the banner and thinks that more salary for teachers can help. “It makes the profession a bit more attractive,” he says as he walks towards the classroom.
