Universities start new master's program for teachers
Four universities want to offer a 'teacher training college' at a scientific master's level in September 2022. The first university has now been given the green light by the minister, but the universities of applied sciences are surprised and feel that they have been passed over.
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The training of teachers has traditionally been reserved for higher professional education. But the teacher training colleges came under fire: the level of graduates was too low, which had negative consequences for the quality of primary education.
Both in the field of education and in politics there was a growing desire to have more academics in the classroom. This led to the arrival of academic teacher training colleges, also known as the alpos. Together with the teacher training colleges, the universities offered aspiring teachers a theoretical and practical training. Graduates receive a PABO diploma and a university bachelor's degree in pedagogical or educational sciences after four years.
Knife in the back
Nijmegen Radboud University went a step further in 2017 and was given permission to start its own three-year academic teacher training college, without any form of collaboration with a university of applied sciences. This led to strong criticism from colleges and universities. Wasn't this a knife in the back of the alpos? And what about the quality if a whole year was scrapped from the curriculum?
Four universities are now taking a significant step further. Erasmus University Rotterdam, the two Amsterdam universities and Leiden University submitted plans for their own 'educational master's degree in primary education'. The idea is that from September 2022, students will obtain both the degree of 'master of science' and their teaching qualification for primary education in two years' time.
The idea is that students will obtain both the degree of 'master of science' and their teaching qualification for primary education within two years.
The master can be followed by students with a bachelor's degree in social or behavioral sciences, according to the application from Erasmus University. They attend lectures in pedagogy and (professional) didactics. 40 percent of the curriculum consists of practical learning.
Green light
The Higher Education Efficiency Committee, which assesses whether there is a sufficient need for new funded courses, has already given Erasmus University the green light. The committee recognizes the added value of an academically trained teacher at master's level and believes there is sufficient demand for it.
The committee recognizes the added value of an academically trained teacher at master's level
She does, however, point to an administrative agreement concluded last year, which states that the exploration of academic courses for primary education “should take place in collaboration and coordination with the universities of applied sciences involved”. According to the CDHO, Erasmus University has not adhered to that agreement. In view of the (comparable) plans of the three other universities for similar masters, this is a cause for concern.
Minister Van Engelshoven has now accepted the positive advice on the application from Erasmus University, her spokesperson confirms. This means that the application may be passed on to the NVAO education inspector, who will assess whether the program is structured properly and whether it is allowed to start.
Amazement
The minister's decision is surprising among the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. A spokesperson, like the CDHO, points to the administrative agreement on teacher training that universities and universities of applied sciences concluded last year. "We also see the importance of more academically trained teachers in the classroom and that is why we have developed the academic teacher training colleges in collaboration with universities." But it is precisely this collaboration that Erasmus University has not sought in this case. “And we regret that. It is important that transparency remains in the cooperation in the educational domain. ”
This extra route does not make the offer any clearer
According to the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, EUR's plans deviate from the “typical division of tasks” within the higher education system. “Because the intended training is professionally oriented, but mainly because the teaching qualification for primary education is defined at the HBO bachelor level. The offer does not become clearer with this extra route. ”
Update: The Association of Universities of Applied Sciences has announced that Erasmus University appears to have sought coordination with Hogeschool Rotterdam, although this did not lead to cooperation in teacher training. She maintains her other objection, that the minister's decision breaks the system.
