Rotterdam luring teachers with €5k bonus; big cities fight for education

There seems to be a fight over teachers between the big cities. In an effort to solve their teacher shortage, Rotterdam announced a 5 thousand euro bonus for new teachers teaching difficult subjects like mathematics and science. Amsterdam alderman Eric van der Burg is advocating for a salary increase for teachers, police officers and nurses in the city.

The cities have a lot of trouble attracting sufficient employees for "difficult" jobs with an average income, especially given how expensive it can be living in a city. These difficult jobs include teachers, police officers and nurses.

The Rotterdam "welcome bonus" is aimed at teachers for subjects with a teacher shortage, such as, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and German, RTV Rijnmond reports. Academics starting work in a Rotterdam primary school are also eligible. All teachers, teaching assistants and janitors will also receive a Rotterdam pass - which gives free admission or discounts at museums and public transport, for example. And the city established a teacher scholarship for teachers who want to further their education.

Rotterdam does not currently have plans to attract nurses or police officers to the city with financial incentives.

Amsterdam alderman Eric van der Burg plans to do just that. He is advocating for higher salaries for teachers, nurses and police officers in the city. On Friday he called on employers and unions in Amsterdam to add a "big city bonus" in the collective bargaining agreements for these employees, Het Parool reports. According to him, a teacher in Amsterdam has to work harder than a teacher in Bloemendaal, and their salaries should reflect that.

Education union AOb, has been advocating that teachers, especially in the big cities, get more salary for some time, a spokesperson said to newspaper Trouw. "It is nice that the cities also understand that. It simply makes teaching more attractive."