Teachers get a raise, reduction in workload from new education agreement

Primary school teachers and staff will get a raise this year and heavy workloads will be targeted in both primary and secondary education, following a new education agreement, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The Cabinet will invest a total of 1.5 billion euros in resources to improve education.

The money will also go toward extra professional development for teachers and additional allowance for teachers of vulnerable pupils –– for example, students who are having trouble learning a language or have difficult home lives. The agreement is meant to improve the quality of education overall and address the staff shortage in the coming years.

"We wish everyone a good teacher, who makes students enthusiastic to read a book, who always explains arithmetic in an understandable way and who teaches class after class how to treat each other respectfully," said Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dennis Wiersma. "We realize that improving education, for both teachers and students, requires great stamina. That is precisely why we have no time to lose.”

The agreement allotted 919 million euros to increase the salaries of primary school teachers, who will earn the same as equivalent teachers in secondary school positions. It is calculated that primary school teachers will receive an increase of 5,300 euros per year, based on a full-time salary. 

Due to a high workload in both primary and secondary education, 300 million euros will be put toward alleviating this burden. The trade unions and VO-raad can agree on how exactly to use the money: for example, more support staff could be hired. Another 118 million euros will be allocated for teacher development and training.