Rotterdam pushing more education money into toddlers, solving teacher shortage

Rotterdam education alderman Said Kasmi plans to allocate more funds to early childhood initiatives, enhance educational quality, better integrate education with prevention and youth services, and address the persistent teacher shortage over the next four years.

He announced this during the presentation of the education policy for 2024-2028 on Wednesday. Out of the total education budget of 216 million euros, Kasmi intends to spend 40 million on these four key areas.

Currently, 73 percent of 2- and 3-year-old toddlers are enrolled in preschool education. Despite this high rate, Kasmi noted that too many children still begin primary school with educational delays, which limits their developmental opportunities.

"The ongoing staff shortages in education and childcare, concerns for student welfare, and unequal opportunities require a lot from our education system," Kasmi said. "Our goal is to further alleviate the burden on schools, enabling them to focus on their core mission: providing the best education. More funds will also be directed to early childhood and primary education because every child deserves the best starting position for a successful school career."

Kasmi believes these objectives can be achieved by reorganizing education in a smart and different way. "My personal drive is that every child, at any stage of schooling, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to fully develop their talents and chart their own course in a safe, pleasant, and professional school environment. Hence, we are ensuring accessible and, where possible, multi-functional school buildings, preparing our youth for the future job market, working together on furthering the emancipation of vocational education, and investing in our most important asset: our teachers.”