Big increase for primary school teachers to close gap with secondary education: report

Primary school teachers will get a wage increase of between 6 and 12 percent to close the wage gap between them and teachers in secondary- and higher education. Minister Dennis Wiersma for Primary and Secondary Education came to this agreement with the trade unions and education councils, insiders told RTL Nieuws. 

According to the broadcaster's sources, the agreement will cost almost 1.5 billion euros. €919 million will go to closing the wage gap. 

The Minister and unions also agreed to improve the working conditions of teachers and school leaders in schools with many learning delays (152 million euros) and to reduce the workload in secondary education (300 million euros). €150 million will go to measures to make working in education more attractive.

The agreements are the direct result of the coalition agreement. The D66, in particular, pushed for one collective labor agreement for all education. The coalition agreed to close the pay gap between teachers and improve working conditions.