AOb: 'Lumpsum is insufficiently functional, restrict freedom of control in'
The financing of schools, the lump sum, is not functioning properly. That is why the AOb for adjustments. First of all, funding must be sufficient through additional investments. In addition, the government must impose stricter requirements on how the money is spent and accountability and control afterwards must be improved.
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That writes AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen a letter to the House of Representatives. On 6 March, the education spokespersons of the political parties will debate the lump sum. That is the bag of money that schools get from the government. Schools are currently allowed to spend the tuition fees as they see fit.
Restrict
The freedom of school boards wants AOb damming. The government is now imposing too few requirements on how school boards should spend the money, Verheggen writes. As a result, the reserves of some school boards are unnecessarily high. The AOb therefore calls for an upper limit to limit reserves. 'The money should end up in the classroom as much as possible,' says Verheggen.
AObChair Liesbeth Verheggen: 'The money should end up in the classroom as much as possible'
In order to get the money to the classroom, there must also be a minimum percentage for school boards that they are obliged to spend on teaching staff. Now schools can easily shift the money for staff to housing or to close other gaps in the budget.
Accountability
Earmarking important spending goals, such as appropriate education, starting teachers or educational disadvantages, is also necessary, Verheggen writes. Schools must render more accountable for these subjects in the annual report. Schools' annual reports should, according to the AOb, all of which can be found publicly and on an OCW website.
Finally, the AOb for better control afterwards. For example, the Education Inspectorate should check whether the money has been spent effectively by boards and participation councils should be trained so that they are better able to control their boards.
Read the entire letter from AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen via this link. Any adjustments that the AOb proposals for the lump sum can be found in the plan: 'Lump sum 3.0'
