The number of students at the Regional School Community (RSG) Ter Apel has fallen faster than predicted in the past period.
According to those forecasts, the school should have had between 980 and 1035 students, says rector Jan de Wit. There are ‘only’ 900.
Emmercompascuum and Mussel Canal
“Especially from Emmercompascuum and Musselkanaal, fewer children have chosen us,” says De Wit. “It’s hard to say what that is. We are dealing with other schools in the region. You sometimes see that if one child chooses such a school, others follow. It’s hard to explain.”
The unexpectedly sharp shrinkage has no consequences for the number of classes required, says De Wit. “Classes may have fewer children, but all classrooms are needed. In fact, there could be one more. The number of employees has fallen somewhat, but that has happened through natural turnover.
12 million euros
The shrinkage has prompted Edith van der Horst, council member of Westerwolde on behalf of the Ecological Alternative party, to ask questions to the mayor and aldermen. In 2017, she was the only council member to vote against when the then municipality of Vlagtwedde made 12 million euros available for a thorough renovation and reconstruction of the RSG, including the construction of a new campus. An approach based on a school for 1000 pupils.
“The forecasts I had in mind at the time already pointed to shrinkage,” says Van der Horst. “I think we should have spent a lot less money on the RSG.”
‘Number can also increase again’
Alderman Wietze Potze (PvdA), however, says he still supports that investment. “The forecasts we used at the time were indeed based on about 1000 students. That number is now somewhat lower, but can also rise again. The approach was simply necessary to continue to participate as a school.”
Rector De Wit agrees: “To be able to continue to provide students with good education and thus make and keep the RSG viable.”