Brabant school community to cover pupils' study fees

Noord-Brabant school community De Rooi Pannen is taking over most of its pupils' study fees and costs. From next year, the parents of the around 8 thousand De Rooi Pannen pupils will only have to pay the legally mandatory course- or lesson fees and the purchase costs of working clothes, Omroep Brabant reports.

This year, the VMBO and MBO school community is already covering the costs of excursions, copies and tablets for its pupils. For most pupils, or their parents, this will save a few hundred euros per year. From next year, the school community will also pay for the books. That couldn't be arranged in time for this school year, because a book fund still has to be set up.

De Rooi Pannen considers it important that all pupils, also those from poorer families, have access to proper education, director Tiny Pheninckx said to the broadcaster. The measure will cost the school between 2 million and 2.5 million euros. The school community can afford this, because its fixed costs are very low - all the school properties are paid off, staff costs are low and there is a constant income of students. "De Rooi Pannen is, as it were, a household without a mortgage", Pheninckx said.

De Rooi Pannen has schools in Breda, Tilburg and Eindhoven.