News item | 22-04-2022 | 4:00 pm
Every pupil who leaves school must be able to read, write, calculate and know how we interact with each other in the Netherlands. It is therefore essential that there are enough teachers, school leaders and educational support staff who can practice their profession well. This is not easy due to the large staff shortage. That is why the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the trade unions and the PO and VO Council are joining forces, now and in the coming years. The cabinet is investing 1.5 billion euros in teachers, school leaders and other staff and thus in good education.
Minister Dennis Wiersma (Primary and Secondary Education) and the representatives of the General Education Association (AOb), CNV Education, the General Association for School Leaders (AVS), FNV O&O, the Federation of Educational Unions (FvOv) and the PO Council and the VO Council today signed the Education Agreement. This agreement means an improvement in the salary in primary education and a reduction in the workload in secondary education. This is also the starting point for a broader work agenda that will be worked out and implemented together in the coming years to tackle the staff shortage and ensure better education.
Minister Wiersma: ,,We wish everyone a good teacher, who makes students enthusiastic to read a book, who always explains arithmetic in an understandable way and who teaches class after class how to treat each other respectfully. It is therefore essential that there are enough teachers who can practice their profession well. That is why we invest 1.5 billion euros in teachers, school leaders and other educational staff for a higher salary, less work pressure and more time for development. We realize that improving education, for both teachers and students, requires great stamina. That is why we have no time to lose.”
Higher salary
From now on, teachers and other staff in primary education will earn the same in an equivalent position as their colleagues in secondary education. It concerns an investment of 919 million euros. This ensures a higher salary for primary school teachers. They will improve by an average of 10 percent in the coming years, which is an increase of 5,300 euros per year based on a full-time salary. There are of course large individual differences, but all teachers will gain at least 4 percent this year by applying the new salary scales. This makes it more attractive to enter and continue working in education. School leaders also deserve more appreciation, they have a crucial role in ensuring good education together with the team of teachers. The salary for school leaders in primary education will increase by at least 5 percent this year and an average of 11 percent in the coming years.
Less work pressure
In both primary and secondary education, the workload is high and teachers face major challenges. That is why we will invest another 300 million euros this school year in tackling work pressure in secondary education, as was done in primary education before. The trade unions and the VO council make agreements about spending, so that the money ends up where it is needed. The money can, for example, be used to hire more support staff, as has happened in primary schools.
Extra time
If you want to continue to practice your profession well, you want to continue to develop and train. You need time for that. Teachers will have extra space for this from this school year. A structural amount of 118 million euros is available for this. Extra money is also available for professional development for school leaders in secondary education. Education is also helped with a clear assignment. That is why we focus more on the basic skills of language, arithmetic and citizenship and the curriculum – what students should know and be able to do – is adjusted as quickly as possible.
Extra allowance
All children need good teachers and school leaders, but for some this is even more important than for others. If you have a lot of worries, for example, because things are not going well at home. Or if you need extra help because you find language so difficult. Then it is essential that there are enough teachers, school leaders and support staff at your school, so that you too get fair opportunities and build a solid foundation for the future. In schools with many vulnerable pupils, teaching staff therefore receive a labor market allowance on top of their salary. Funds were available for this for two years, but we are now also offering structural funding after 2023 to make it attractive to start working at these schools. A collective agreement on this is still being made by the trade unions and councils.