Political support for 'late repair' appropriate education
Education Minister Arie Slob received broad support in the Lower House this afternoon for his improvement program to tackle the problems surrounding appropriate education six years after its introduction. One of these measures is a national standard for basic support to be worked out. There was a tormented question from the opposition benches: Why only now?
Picture: Livestream Tweede Kamer
A legal right for pupils to participate in discussions about extra support, support centers for pupils and parents, extra attention for the duty of care, more space for appropriate education in the courses and national basic care: these are some of the points that Slob had two weeks ago in a letter to the House of Representatives.
In doing so, the minister responded to the criticism that has been getting louder from education staff, parents, students and political parties in recent years. Many measures still need to be worked out in more detail, but could in any case count on support in the Lower House this afternoon. “Appreciation for the minister's approach,” responded CDA MP Michel Rog.
Voted out
Opposition parties can also agree with the suggested improvements. In fact, they recognized various motions and proposals that they themselves have submitted in recent years and that were voted down by the coalition parties at the time. They had agreed to wait with drastic measures until the long-term evaluation process of the first five years of appropriate education was completed. A matter of good governance, argued D66 MP Paul van Meenen.
In recent years, we have seen in this committee on the basis of various reports that things are not going in the right direction with appropriate education
“If you look at all the points where appropriate education is currently not in order and you see to what extent the proposals of the minister correspond with what the House has been saying here for years, then that was a stupid agreement at the expense of education? ”, responded SP MP Peter Kwint. “In recent years we have seen in this committee on the basis of various reports that appropriate education is not going in the right direction. And if you mention that together in debates, then I think it is also evidence of good governance to say: we will intervene earlier ”, said GroenLinks MP Lisa Westerveld.
Van Meenen responded that some steps have been taken in the meantime. “A whole new system has been set up and it is wise to look at it all at once and not here a plaster, there a string and some adhesive tape. Then you have to take a good look. And let's face it: this minister is now taking a considerable number of steps. ”
Wasted time
Also the national standard for basic support, something the AOb has been insisting on for years, still needs to be worked out in concrete terms. To the frustration of SP member Kwint. “A year and a half ago, a proposal was accepted from me to develop a national basic standard. Now there is still nothing. Wouldn't it have been logical if there had been a widely supported proposal for that basic support that education and parent organizations could have considered over the past year and a half, so that we could have introduced that improvement immediately instead of 2021 or 2022? Wasn't that wasted time?"
It would have been nice if we could have implemented it ready-made now, I totally agree
"We have had a year in which a few things happened," Rog responded, referring to the corona crisis. “It would have been nice if we could now have implemented it ready-made, I fully agree. That did not happen. I am happy that we are now starting with it. ” A detailed basic care must be ready by next summer, said Minister Slob, who emphasized that it concerns a lower limit for support. "It is not the intention that schools that are already above this level will then take a few ounces off it."
His party colleague, Christian Union Member of Parliament Eppo Bruins, thought it was important to put expectations into perspective. These had been unrealistically high when appropriate education was introduced six years ago and all parties must learn from this. "I think it's fair to say that politics organized its own disappointment at the time."
The motions submitted will be voted on on Tuesday 24 November. Read more about the letter that the AOb has been sent to the Lower House for debate.
