Majority of teachers oppose plan to merge mainstream and special education, survey finds

More than 50% of teachers oppose plans to merge mainstream and special education, according to a survey by the Algemene Onderwijsbond (AOb). Less than 20% of respondents support the government’s proposal to integrate all pupils into the same classroom by 2035 under the policy of inclusive education.

A survey of more than 5,700 primary and secondary school teachers found that over 55% are opposed to mixed classrooms that include pupils requiring additional care or support.

Many teachers say that delivering tailored education is already challenging, and warn that inclusive education could place extra pressure on classrooms. They fear that the increased focus on students with support needs may reduce the attention available for other pupils.

The teachers’ union emphasizes that every child is welcome at a school, but that the practical implementation of the plan is not realistic. According to the AOb, the preference is for a form of inclusive education in which pupils attend the same school but still follow their own tailored education. Teachers should also be better supported so that more children can potentially remain in mainstream education.

Children who require additional support, such as those who are hard of hearing, have an intellectual disability, or autism, are currently still able to attend special education schools. Statistics from Statistics Netherlands show that special education includes over 107,000 pupils in total.

In comparison, more than 1.3 million children are enrolled in mainstream primary education, while nearly 920,000 attend mainstream secondary schools.

State Secretary Judith Tielen said that special education schools will remain in place, responding to the survey. The government’s goal is to make schools inclusive by 2035, meaning all pupils should be able to attend mainstream education, including those who currently require special schooling.

However, Tielen stressed that this does not imply the end of special education schools. She said that special education will continue to exist for pupils who need that specific form of support.

A spokesperson for Tielen said it is still unclear how many special education schools will continue operating.