Kerkrade municipality on course for return of full secondary education

On January 11, '23, a delegation of The Martin Buber presented the educational plans of the second application to the Inspectorate of Education in Tilburg. With the preliminary result: a positive score on all six virtue requirements. Last week the draft interview report was received. The Inspectorate of Education gives a positive advice to Minister Dennis Wiersma.

 

By June 1, 2023, the education minister will make the decision

The Martin Buber is thus one very small step away from returning to full secondary education. The positive opinion will be sent to The Hague. The minister will give his final decision before June 1, 2023. He is expected to follow the inspectorate's advice.

Now also citizenship education (virtue requirement D1) positively assessed

The virtue requirements are legal requirements for an educational plan. Based on these requirements, the inspectorate advises the minister on the expected educational quality of a new school. In the application of The Martin Buber in 2021, the virtue requirement of citizenship education was evaluated negatively. The municipality therefore decided to submit a new (second) application in 2022. Over 660 parent statements were collected for this purpose. Support from the Kerkrade community remained undiminished.

Alderman Schlangen (education): "The Martin Buber education is unique and the children of Kerkrade deserve this type of education. The plans for the 2022 application have been adjusted on the citizenship education component. Because of this adjustment, there is now a positive opinion from the education inspector. This is great news! We are now waiting for the final interview report and then it is up to the minister. I look forward to the decision with confidence."

Opening in August 2024

Before the opening of The Martin Buber, there is still a lot of work to be done, which is why the municipality is not waiting for the final decision of the minister and is proceeding with preparations. Alderman Jo Schlangen explains, "Think for example of the housing of the main location and the stops in the city, the composition of the education team. But also the organization of open days and new 'Experience what you learn routes' will start. In this way, we are informing parents and students are already getting a taste." In the coming weeks, the municipality will continue to inform residents about all the news surrounding The Martin Buber.

The City Council made a motion for full secondary education in 2019 that received unanimous support.