One in six primary school principals also teach lessons

In the current school year, 432 principals took up an additional task, which entailed lessons or other pedagogical tasks that should normally be fulfilled by teachers. The phenomenon occurs most in Limburg province, where principals in more than 23% of the schools also take on other duties. In West Flanders, this is the case in 23% of the schools. In Dutch-speaking education in the Brussels-Capital Region, only six directors have extra tasks.

It’s mostly in smaller schools that heads find they have to take on more work, “while these principals already have lower wages and less administrative support,” said Vandenberghe. “We can only have a good education system if principals have the necessary space to carry out their work properly.”

SP.A called on minister Crevits to include the issue in the broader debate on making teaching more appealing in general. Crevits pointed out that the number of principals with additional tasks has in fact decreased from one in five to one in six in four years’ time.

“We have to ensure that principals can count on a good team and the support of the school board,” she said. The topic of school leadership is part of the teaching career debate.

Photo courtesy Skolo