Schools aware of the parental contribution to try to minimize. They also have to take into account parents who can not afford the contribution, otherwise more and more children of poorer parents bear the brunt.
This enables Leergeld Netherlands in a pamphlet on basic education. This organization helps poorer parents. The SP is a bill to reduce the parental contribution.
The voluntary parental contribution in primary schools varies by school. Some questions tens euro, others a few hundred euros. But there are outliers known to almost 1500 euros per year. The money is mostly used for school trips, parties or extra lessons and activities.
According Leergeld Netherlands this sometimes leads to exclusion because parents can not afford the money. Children do not for example allowed them to school, although the contribution is voluntary. Nor are graduated according to the organization collection agencies on parents. And sometimes kept on the blackboard with the name of the child who has not yet paid Leergeld Netherlands states in the pamphlet.
"These are obviously extremely painful situations and that should not happen," says director Gaby van den Biggelaar of Leergeld Netherlands. "It is these children have often not much and then have the nice touches at school still missing. We want schools therefore our pamphlet to reiterate that the parental contribution is voluntary. Other parents are unnecessary pressure."
SP MP Tjitske Siderius will this week present a bill to set a maximum to the amount of the parental contribution. "The school year has started and we get a lot of complaints from parents. They must then pay for example 500 euros and be well behind the rags sat by the school to pay, while the contribution is voluntary and parents that money did not. The school should just stand on the side of the parents to help them. "
You do feel a gentle pressure to pay.
Belinda Blokker, older EindhovenSiderius think can prevent a lot of stress and frustration by setting a maximum contribution."Then it is clear to everyone and shocked not call the parents to sign up the kids at school."It should also be established for which the money is used. "It can not be that schools eliminate this other defects in. The parental contribution is aimed at the most for school or an extra activity."
Although parents are not required to pay the parental contribution, experienced many different. "You do feel a gentle pressure to pay," said Belinda Blokker Eindhoven. "At our school you also get a reminder if you have not paid yet."
Blokker is not able to make the full contribution every year and sometimes relies on the foundation Leergeld. "Sometimes I pay myself $ 100, sometimes 25 euros. That depends a little on the situation. I would not feel good to me if I would pay anything."
support
Education struggles with the voluntary parental contribution. "It can be an annoying issue for schools," said spokesman Ad Veen of the PO council, the umbrella organization for school boards in primary schools. "You must judge a school or parents really can not afford. That is sometimes difficult. But you would like to plan activities and that costs money. That should be paid somehow."
But PO Council does not want children to be excluded. "It is good that there is an additional focus on the opportunities that are available to schools. Parents can thus support from Leergeld Netherlands, as well as municipalities and school boards have jars for cases like this."
Shortages that schools would eliminate the parental contribution waves PO Council road."The size of the amount is determined by parent councils. This is not a decision by the school alone." But according to SP Member of Parliament Siderius sitting in that parent councils often higher educated parents who do not always have a good view of the financial possibilities of parents with lower incomes.
Dichotomy
PO Council recognizes that the voluntary parental contribution can lead to division. Parents on low incomes will not quickly sign their child in a school where the contribution is $ 1,000."Schools are free to determine their parental contribution, but I agree that this may lead to class justice," says Ad Veen of perioperative Council. "You do not want like education."
By: NOS Editors: Photo: Reuters
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