Four-Day School Week Fails to Gain Support in the Netherlands Despite Teacher Shortages
Despite a severe shortage of primary school teachers in the Netherlands, school leaders prefer to maintain the current school week rather than reduce the number of days pupils attend school to four. A survey conducted by the Dutch Academy and Association of School Leaders (AVS) found that a four-day school week is not widely supported as a solution to teacher shortages.
Of the 308 school leaders who took part in the survey, only three said they would prefer to reduce the number of days pupils are required to attend school. This represents less than 1% of respondents. The findings suggest that school leaders remain cautious about reducing teaching time despite the shortage of teachers.
AVS policy adviser Leanne der Steeg said that a four-day school week would not necessarily be an effective solution to teacher shortages and could have a negative impact on the quality of education. According to Der Steeg, reducing the number of school days is not simply a matter of sending pupils home. Such a change would also require consideration of how lost teaching hours would be made up, how homework would be organised and how the childcare needs of working parents would be addressed.
Der Steeg also emphasised that having a teacher available for one day a week does not automatically mean they can be assigned to another class, as teaching a different group of pupils requires preparation in advance.