Sharp drop in first year teacher training students

There has been a 20 percent drop in students entering teacher training at the hbo level over the last five years. Particularly the interest in training to become an elementary school teacher has fallen sharply. Admissions into teacher tainting for specific subject taught in secondary education (general and vocational) has stayed about the same.

Influx in primary school teacher training (pabo) down by nearly 30 percent

In 2011/’12 nearly 6,100 students started teacher training for elementary education. This is nearly 30 percent less than in 2006/’07. In the same period the – far smaller – number of first year students training to teach in special education fell by three quarters. This was also the period in which the literacy and numeracy test was introduced in teacher training (pabo) and government planned to cut spending on special education. Teacher training to qualify for teaching in general and vocational secondary education saw about the same number of students in the last five years, with over 5,600 new students in 2011/’12.

First year teacher trainees (hbo)

Many people over 50 among first year teacher trainees for special education

In 2011/’12 three out of five first year students enrolled in elementary school teacher training were under 20 years old. In teacher training for secondary schools this was over two in five. These young students usually come directly from secondary school (havo, vwo, mbo). In teacher training for special education, however, nearly 60 percent of the first year students are over 50. They are usually in part-time education and have a job as well.

First year teacher trainees by age (hbo), 2011/’12*

Phys Ed most popular teacher training for secondary education

In 2011/’12 nearly 1,150 first year hbo students took phys ed as their major. It is especially popular with male students. English and history are second and third. 82 percent of the first year teacher trainees for technical education are men. First year teacher trainees in care, home sciences, theatre education, arts and Dutch are predominantly female.

Most popular subjects in secondary school teacher training, 2011/’12*

Theo van Miltenburg