The ministry has put an end to the plans for a new school in Kerkrade. The municipality hoped to be able to offer secondary education again, but the Ministry of Education does not agree with the establishment of the Martin Buber school.
The municipality announced this on Tuesday morning.
In my own municipality
The municipality of Kerkrade has wanted to offer pre-university education again for many years. Pupils now go to Bernardinus in Heerlen and Charlemagne in Landgraaf. To convince the Ministry of Education, the initiators had to collect 700 parental certificates last year. This is a document from the parents of 10-, 11- and 12-year-old children in which they confirm that their children may want to receive education at the new school. This is a non-binding statement. Despite the parental declarations, the school will not be there.
Criteria
During a press conference on Tuesday morning, the initiators and mayor Petra Dassen explained the ministry’s decision. “The Education Inspectorate is of the opinion that the education plans of Het Martin Buber score well on five of the six assessment criteria,” say the initiators. “Only the part of citizenship education – which deals with the basic norms and values of our society – scores unsatisfactory in the opinion of the Inspectorate.” That is why the new school has not yet received the green light to start next year. That is the conclusion of the final report delivered by the Inspectorate to the Ministry of Education.
Also read: Secondary education in Kerkrade one step closer
small scale
The Martin Buber School is a new form of education for all levels, so in addition to VWO, also HAVO and VMBO. It concerns small-scale education, with a maximum of 600 students, where everyone develops his or her talents. Education does not only take place at school, but also in the city and in places in nature. “You feel seen and heard and you are personally guided at your own pace. It never gets boring,” say the initiators. The different levels are initially grouped together and it is only during the school period that it becomes clear at which level the student will take the exam.
Closure Rolduc
Closed for ten years, a large part of the education in Kerkrade disappeared due to the closure of College Rolduc. Havo and vwo students therefore had to go to schools in neighboring municipalities. In Kerkrade, only VMBO education remained, namely in the Parkstad Limburg Professional College.
The municipality of Kerkrade has lodged an objection against the decision of the ministry.