It is excellent that Secretary of State Paul is taking up the gauntlet in the area of learning resources and digitization in primary education. At the same time, after reading the letter, several questions remain unanswered. This is the first reaction of the VO-raad to the letter 'Digitalization and learning resources in fundamental education', which was sent to the Lower House on November 22. The sector council likes to think along with the State Secretary about suitable follow-up steps towards a well-functioning educational resources market and a healthy form of digitization in fundamental education.
Last summer the VO-raad, in a broader coalition of education parties, published the manifesto "More grip on learning resources.. In this parliamentary letter, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science takes a few important steps that were also called for in the manifesto. For example, we welcome the initiative to establish a quality alliance. This alliance can contribute to establishing quality criteria for educational resources, an important point of attention in the manifesto. The VO-raad is happy to contribute ideas on how this alliance can actually have a significant positive impact on the educational resources market and the quality of educational resources. In doing so, we specifically ask that attention be paid to involving teachers in the development of the quality frameworks, just as with the Knowledge Table on Effective Reading Education. The effective use of learning resources in the classroom requires efforts from the entire education sector, but to link this in advance to an alliance to be established seems premature. It is advisable to keep other or more appropriate options in mind as well.
The VO-raad finds it disappointing that the KPMG study on the price development of educational resources in secondary education has not yet been completed. The price development and decline in freedom of choice is an urgent problem. Schools in primary education are increasingly encountering higher prices on the educational resources market and are critical of the revenue models of suppliers. The intention to continue the research is positive. Hopefully, the follow-up will provide better insight into potential solution directions to address the issue.
In addition, the VO-raad appreciates the ministry's attitude toward undesirable market developments, such as the buying up of companies focused on educational resources and ownership by listed companies and private equity. Learning resources should primarily be there for education, now profit maximization seems to be increasingly the driving force. Therefore, we look forward with great interest to the joint research of OCW and EZK into the structure and functioning of the educational resources market. The VO-raad does advocate working in parallel towards structural transparency regarding price and earning models in the educational resources market. We also endorse the call to strengthen the articulation of demand on the school side by becoming a member of cooperative SIVON.
The VO-raad is pleased with the state secretary's structural attention to digitization in education. Safe and thoughtful use of digitization is a precondition for good education:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - The VO Council foresees a major impact of artificial intelligence on learning resources and teaching methods - both positive and negative. We are positive about the use of NOLAI and Kennisnet with a.o. the guide 'AI for schools', but are still left with the necessary questions surrounding the implementation of the AI regulation. We are happy to enter into discussions with OCW about how this regulation will play a role in education. In addition, we see that there is still much unclear for schools about the safe and responsible use of AI in the classroom and call on the State Secretary to take up her system responsibility on this theme as well.
Devices - For the funding of devices, the VO-raad endorses the intentions of OCW, but the promise of a discussion with the Ministry of SZW is on the skinny side. We hope there will soon be more clarity on how the support of parents with a narrow budget can be designed in a less complex way.
SIVON - The VO-raad welcomes the extra financial support for the cooperative SIVON. Both in the field of digital security and the learning resources market, SIVON holds a crucial role for primary education.
Digital security - The VO Council is committed to ensuring a safe learning and working environment for students and staff. Earlier this year, the ADR delivered a report into governance on the Information Security and Privacy Standards Framework.. The VO-raad is having discussions with OCW about this for an appropriate design of management and supervision of the standards framework.
Basic Infrastructure Program - The VO-raad welcomes plans to establish a program around the national basic infrastructure of schools for good digital education. A research report by Highberg and Berenschot concludes that the current system is not future-proof and needs revision. We share this conclusion. The letter states that these are fundamental issues. This is true, but the VO-raad sees urgency to come up with choices and solutions in the short term.
All in all, the VO-raad takes a positive view of the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in the area of educational resources and digitization. It is contributing in various ways to a better functioning educational resources market and a smoother digital transition in fundamental education. We would like to remain involved in the steps taken by the ministry in the near future. Together we can work towards an educational resources market and digital transition that contribute to the quality of education in primary education.
