The city council of Assen approves the administrative merger between the Dr. Nassau College and CS Vincent van Gogh. This brings cooperation between the schools one step closer.
The school communities want to merge their boards from 1 January next year. With this they hope to improve the quality of education. The merger must also “contribute to the preservation of the versatile educational offer in North and Central Drenthe”. The schools have already indicated that they expect a reduction in the number of pupils in the near future.
Both school boards guarantee that students can continue to choose from the various educational concepts. There is also still the choice between Christian or public education. In Beilen, the two schools already work together. The fusion school in the village is called Volta.
The city council of Assen had to give permission for the merger tonight, because Dr. Nassau College is a public school and is stated in the school’s bylaws. The municipalities of Aa and Hunze, Midden-Drenthe and Noordenveld have already approved the collaboration. The supervisory boards and participation councils of both secondary schools in the Assen region also agree with the plan.
“With this merger, we ensure that parents and students can continue to choose from a varied range of education in the future. With this merger, the foundation has the opportunity to continue to develop that range, to use innovations and to give children more opportunities. We are happy with that,” says Dennis Klingenberg of D66.
Assen Central agrees. “A bundling is needed to continue to guarantee future-proof education in the Assen region and the surrounding area,” says council member Hemmo van der Wal. According to him, the collaboration also offers opportunities for employees. “The merger should lead to an organization that is attractive to employers, with a favorable effect on employment. Assen Centraal hopes and expects that this merger will enable young teachers to count on permanent employment.”
The parents of both school communities have also been informed about the collaboration. According to the school boards, their response was mostly positive.
The merger is not yet final with the decision of the city council. The Minister for Primary and Secondary Education will ultimately decide on the merger.