'Vocational education bill must go back to the drawing board'
The bill for administrative harmonization of vocational education must be returned to the drawing board. The joint trade unions and other organizations write this in a letter to the House.
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The bill, which will be discussed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, will regulate, among other things, that practical schools, VBO schools and MAVOs can merge with MBO. And some political parties want to expand the bill to include HAVO and VWO departments.
The participation of staff is deteriorating and the freedom of choice of students and parents is restricted
In the new situation, however, schools are much worse off, according to trade unions, parents, students and also the association for public education. “First of all, employee participation is deteriorating,” says AObchairman Tamar van Gelder. “The Participation Council Act still applies in the schools concerned, but the Works Council Act would come into effect there. As a result, important existing rights are lost. Like the mr's agreement with the school plan."
Business
Furthermore, there is a danger that the business community will have influence on secondary schools in the new situation, the unions and other organizations report. the letter to the Chamber. Van Gelder: “In the new situation, administrative control is somewhat unclear. And, in principle, it is about foundational education with young pupils. There is no connection with business.”
The new law would also limit parents' free choice of school. “The secondary school will then come under the MBO board,” says Van Gelder. “But MBO has no public education, or education based on a religion or philosophy of life.”
Near home
The schools now also often focus on the local market of students. “Soon they can easily be merged and moved after a merger,” says Van Gelder. “As a result, there is an impoverishment in the offer of education close to home. And that limits the options for students and their parents.”
Township
Finally, the housing of the schools would soon no longer fall under the responsibility of the municipality, but under the MBO board. Van Gelder: “As a result, any form of ties between the municipality and these schools disappears. This undermines the role of the municipality to monitor the provision of public education.”
Support base
Based on these objections, the organizations request the House of Representatives to send the bill back to the drawing board. “There is insufficient support and there are still too many questions about the elaboration,” says Van Gelder. “We are happy to discuss this with the minister, which should have happened earlier, because none of the parties that signed the letter have been involved in the drafting of this bill so far.”
