According to the school, these numbers give a distorted picture and it concerns a temporary dip in the number of students. “Last year we had a large group of eight of eleven children. You suddenly lose them and the number drops enormously.”
He himself thinks that it will pick up again in the coming years. According to the driver, there are new construction plans in and around the village. “We expect a lot of people to come to Echten. It would therefore be a shame if there is no school anymore.”
The news came as a surprise to many parents. Some fear that due to the disappearance of the school, there will soon be no young people left in the village. “Then the aging population kicks in,” says Marije Palmers. “In addition, it is simply important for the village. As parents you speak to each other in the schoolyard, but it is of course also an important social matter for our children here in Echten. You cannot just give that up.”
Zanting herself is not too worried about her position as a teacher. “I have a contract within the school community and could probably get a place somewhere else. But of course we don’t want that. ‘t Echtenest just has to stay open here.”
Financing the school yourself in a different way is difficult, says Guchelaar. “The rules are strict and you often can’t do much, that’s not an option for now.” The school has sent a letter to the Ministry of Education to express its concerns. “To make it clear to minister Dennis Wiersma how important such a small school is for Echten. Don’t just look at the Randstad, but also at the region. And invest in it so that our children have a good future.”
The municipality is always responsible for housing schools in De Wolden. Not funding the school. If the school closes soon, the board will have to look for alternatives. For example, merging with another school in the area. “We are discussing various options with various parties. The approach, of course, remains to be able to arrange financing for this school. We have to wait and see if we can do anything.”