News item | 8/21/2023 | 11:19
Today the new school year started again in the middle region. Minister Paul (Primary and Secondary Education) gave the go-ahead for this together with the students at De Toermalijn public primary school in Cothen (Utrecht). The minister also discussed the approach to the teacher shortage with teachers and the school board.
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Minister Paul: ‘It was heart-warming to see how the students and teachers in Cothen went back to work today full of energy and enthusiasm. I wish everyone who starts this week a wonderful school year. The reality is also that there are schools that have started today and that have not yet filled all the vacancies. That is of course incredibly annoying and motivates me even more to get started with this. I have deep admiration for all the teachers in our country who nevertheless give it their all again’.
Mentoring new teachers
On De Toermalijn, the minister talked to teachers and the school management about how to help and retain novice teachers in a school for the profession.
Primary school De Toermalijn has a lot of experience in training and supervising teachers and was pleased with the minister’s visit. Director Marion Idema – Weijman: ‘We are proud that Minister Paul came to the Toermalijn in Cothen during her first working visit. And it is good that she pays attention to the important theme of tackling the teacher shortage. It radiates that the sector and politicians must work together on quality, opportunities and a better functioning labor market. We heartily welcome that.”
Tackling teacher shortage
Much has been done in recent years to tackle the teacher shortage. For example, the government has invested 1.5 billion euros in teachers, school leaders and other staff. Intended, among other things, to equalize pay in primary education with secondary education. Money has also been made available to reduce the workload. A number of school boards are tempting teachers to work more hours in exchange for more money or more time to take their own children to school or to childcare.
Collaboration between school boards, teacher training colleges and the professional group in the region is also badly needed. This is because the size of the shortages and the problems differ per region. That is why education regions are currently being set up. The aim is intensive local cooperation between schools, employees and training programs for the recruitment, training and supervision of teaching staff.
Good supervision of starting teachers is part of this. Minister Paul: ‘This is extremely important. We cannot allow them to drop out. In addition, with a problem this big and intractable, we must be prepared to look at unorthodox ideas. I will certainly do that in the near future.’
Status holders
Earlier this week, Minister Paul announced that secondary schools can receive a € 10,000 subsidy for training and supervising a status holder who will start working as a teacher.