Boards struggle with teacher shortage: 27% of vacancies in West Flanders are not filled

OVSG conducted a random survey of primary education directorates. The education provider received a response from about one in three of its primary schools, or 181 schools. New this year is that management boards will be faced with unpleasant surprises. While they thought their team was complete before the summer, changes still occurred in 31 percent of the schools surveyed during the holidays.

For example, the teachers in question opted for a job closer to home. Because there are still many vacancies, teachers have a lot of choice. It also appears that the hours of care have not yet been filled in thirty of the primary schools surveyed. OVSG warns against an undesirable side effect of the teacher shortage. “If the care teacher has to stand in front of the class due to a shortage of teachers at school, the much-needed care can no longer be provided to students who need it. For example, ‘shadow education’ can arise in tutoring offices or speech therapy practices,” it sounds.

“We must avoid that care only becomes something for those who can pay for it. All students, and certainly the weaker ones, have the right to quality education within the school,” emphasizes general director Walentina Cools.

In West Flanders, 26.9% of the vacancies were not filled, 30.8% were replaced in the summer and 7.7% of the vacancies in the care teachers remain unfilled.