No money for salary or workload in spring bill
In the spring memorandum, the cabinet has not earmarked a cent for increasing salaries and less workload in education. "Very disappointing," he said AObchairman Liesbeth Verheggen. “Two months ago, 40 teachers and support staff on the Malieveld campaigned for more salary and less workload. The cabinet completely ignores their cry for help. For example, the teacher shortage continues to increase, at the expense of the students. ”
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The economy is running at full speed, government revenues are rising and spending is not too bad on a significant number of points. As a result, the cabinet has billions of euros extra to spend in this spring memorandum.
“Education gets a pittance from that,” says Verheggen. For example, the cabinet is earmarking 41 million euros for investments in science and technology courses. Money is also being used to cope with the increase in the number of pupils and students, but that is normal: if you didn't, it was a cutback. ”
What Verheggen misses in the spring memorandum is money to close the salary gap between teachers in primary and secondary education and money for more salary and less workload for teachers and support staff in the rest of the education system.
'Efficiency discount'
Furthermore, a cut that was announced in 2018, the 'efficiency discount' of 183 million euros for the entire education system, will be maintained. Last month, the education trade unions and employers called on ministers Arie Slob and Ingrid van Engelshoven to scrap this cut. But that has not happened.
So there is no investment in education, but cutbacks
“So there is no investment in education, but cutbacks,” says Verheggen. And that means that teacher shortages will increase even further in the coming years. “Working in education is fantastic, but it does not earn enough at the moment. If we want to have more teachers and supporters in education, we must pay them properly and ensure that the workload is reduced. I can't make it any simpler - but the cabinet is deaf. ”
There is nothing left but to continue to campaign. Verheggen: “The measure is full for teachers and supporters. The cabinet will hear from us again for Prinsjesdag. ”
