NJi distinguishes five chapters on this landing page:

General measures and support

Education, assistance and care for vulnerable children

Didactic and pedagogical practice

For directors/school leaders

Cooperation when there are concerns

General measures and support

On 20 March, Minister Slob announced a number of measures to guarantee the continuity of education and support, including for students in vulnerable positions:

  • Supporting every student’s access to remote education, including by making laptops available through schools to students who need them.
  • Encouraging tailored support for students who need more guidance, through close cooperation between municipalities, schools, appropriate education partnerships and other parties.

Organizing education for students for whom home is not a safe base. Schools, appropriate education partnerships, Veilig Thuis, the Child Care and Protection Board and family supervisors determine which children and young people this concerns. Together they look for tailored solutions. Elsewhere on the site, see examples of tailored support.

In the letter, the minister also addresses the arrangement that this year’s school recommendation will determine the transition from group 8 to secondary education. View the full letter.

On 24 March, Minister Slob announced that the central final examinations in secondary education would not take place. The results of the school examinations will form the basis for obtaining a diploma this school year. This gives schools additional scope to prepare and administer the school examinations remotely. View the FAQ from OCW. For other questions, contact the Examination Desk.

It is important that school directors (through governing bodies and/or appropriate education partnerships) actively contact their municipalities to jointly make agreements about the deployment of the additional learning resources required.

A few tips:

  • Stichting Leergeld and the Youth Education Fund offer additional support and/or learning resources.
  • The Ministry of OCW has now announced through this letter that it is taking various measures to establish additional learning resources and support. SIVON (Samen Inkopen Voor Onderwijs Nederland) supports schools with (ICT) knowledge, products and services to establish high-quality education, and works closely with Kennisnet in this regard.

In this video message (19 March 2020, in Dutch), both ministers of Education, Culture and Science express their appreciation for all the work currently being done.

Education, assistance and care for vulnerable children

Tailored support tips for students with additional support needs

Tips for families with parents who speak another language and/or have low literacy

For many people who speak another language and/or have low literacy, understanding the (mainly written) information is quite a challenge. They are often familiar with WhatsApp and forms of video calling (such as Skype). It is therefore more effective to call these parents rather than email them. Images work better than text.

Didactic and pedagogical practice

Tips for organizing remote education:

Staying in contact

Once the technology is in place to teach and contact with the students is possible again, you can get to work on this important task. Are students managing to find a new routine? To participate in lessons with motivation, even if tests and examinations are postponed? What stress factors are there for them in the new situation? Schools are being creative in devising solutions. From a survey among appropriate education partnerships, we hear many different examples of how schools use creative solutions to stay in contact as a teacher or mentor. Often through an online check-in; students who could use additional support speak with their teacher and mentor more often. In vulnerable situations, schools also cooperate with youth care partners and neighborhood teams to determine what is needed through proper coordination. See, for example, the support for vulnerable children in the municipality of Zeist.

The previously mentioned website of Wijslijst also contains tips for promoting contact.

Stress surrounding tests and examinations

Many children, young people and parents experience stress because the planned milestones of tests and examinations have been cancelled. The transition to secondary school or student life creates additional unrest and stress. This can affect their motivation to continue engaging with school. It can also impact the stress level of the entire family or your student’s mental health. Be understanding of this. Tips for students and their parents on dealing with these tensions:

For directors/school leaders

Be understanding of the home situation

The signals schools send to parents and children differ greatly. Be aware of the impact the current situation has on families. The tone you choose as a school leader is especially important at this time. How do you contribute to calm and confidence in appropriate solutions in your students’ situation? It is important that families feel supported by the school now that they have to organize so many things at once. Their own work, peace and quiet at home, a daily program for children, and supervising schoolwork require a great deal from parents. It is also good to consult with your colleagues about what this situation means for your role as director and for the signals you want to send.

Responsibility

Take responsibility for the part you own. The government determines how long this school closure will last, but it is within your own ability to ensure that education for students continues as well as possible. Look ahead and make joint decisions about lessons for, for example, examination students.

As a director, you should primarily focus on your own organization, separate from your public responsibility. Employees and students need your care. Pay attention to your employees’ situation and the stress they are experiencing, including in their own home situation. That way, they can be there for the students in the best possible way.

Support for employees during the coronavirus crisis, for managers, ARQ (Knowledge Centre for the Impact of Disasters and Crises)

Communication

Be consistent in your communication, both internally and externally. Invest sufficient energy in external communication. Holding to and repeating one message can help with this. Ensure consistent internal communication, make clear which steps you are taking and which principles underpin them. By being present, you show people that they are not on their own. Encourage employees to discuss problems and exchange experiences.

Cooperation when there are concerns

Making use of the support structure in and around the school

Now that communication with students is taking place at a physical distance, it is especially important to share any concerns about students with colleagues. The school’s support structure will also continue during this period. Student counselors and support coordinators are available in schools for consultation with school directors, team leaders and external school partners. Naturally, it remains important, where possible, to first discuss your concerns with the student and parents themselves. In many places, partners are jointly developing new forms: in some regions, daily or weekly interprofessional digital consultations have started. There are also app groups in which childcare providers, schools, neighborhood teams and youth care partners work together to identify risky situations and take joint action. Coordinating tailored support is part of this.

We also hear that schools and partners from youth health care are working together in situations in which schools are dealing with the death of a parent as a result of the coronavirus.

More information