The recent strikes of primary schools in the Netherlands have made their way into the news, but it is not only the primary schools who want the Dutch government to invest.
Primary school teachers are unhappy with the state of affairs concerning their salaries and workloads. They feel overworked and underpaid.
Primary school directors in the Netherlands have not given up the fight for a 1,4 billion euro investment. This is despite 270 million euros having been set aside by the new Dutch government for primary school teacher’s salaries and 450 million euros to reduce teaching workloads, which will become available in 2020.
The primary education action group (PO in Actie) have announced the intention to close schools for two days in November if the government does not meet their wishes. It is yet to be decided whether school directors or unions will have to foot the bill for the planned strike.
Compared to other countries, full-time teachers in the Netherlands spend more hours teaching, namely 25 hours per week on average. Students, however, learn more if they are given more time to reflect, and have fewer contact-hours. Teachers also benefit from fewer contact-hours with students, as they are then able to better prepare the lessons they do give.
Secondary schools want an investment from the Dutch government of 300 million euros. The association for schools in secondary education (VO-raad) also wants teachers to be given two hours, in which lessons would usually be given, to improve and better their expertise, and to learn and shape educational innovation.