Teaching qualifications.

Teacher primary education

With the teaching qualification for teacher primary education you can teach in primary education and special education. So in primary schools and in schools for special education. You teach children subjects like maths and writing. You also teach them how to get along with each other.

You can get the diploma after the 4-year bachelor education teacher training. It is also possible to follow the teacher training at academic level. After this course you get 2 diplomas: one for education science and one for primary education.
There are extra rules for gym class. Every teacher can teach gym to group 1 and 2, but to teach group 3 to 8 you need a special qualification. In special education every teacher can teach gym until children are 7 years old. In emergencies a unqualified teacher can stand in the class.

Teacher secondary education

The law sets rules for teachers in secondary education. Teachers who have a second degree teaching qualification for secondary education can teach in:

• the first 3 classes of senior general secondary education and pre-university education
• preparatory middle level vocational education
• vocational education and adult education
• practical education track

Teachers with a first degree teaching qualification in secondary education teach one subject or more if they have that qualification. For example Dutch or history. With a first degree teaching qualification you can teach in:

• all classes of senior general secondary education and pre-university education
• preparatory middle level vocational education
• vocational education and adult education
• practical education track

Teacher special primary education

To teach in special education teachers need a teaching qualification for primary education and a declaration of good conduct.

Teacher secondary special education

At schools that take exams themselves teachers must have a teaching qualification and a declaration of good conduct for secondary education. At schools that do not take exams themselves a teaching qualification for primary education is enough.
With a first or second degree qualification and a declaration of good conduct for secondary education teachers can teach in secondary special education in the subject they are qualified for.

Practical education track

You can also teach in the practical education track with a diploma from the primary teacher training college.

Unqualified teacher

The law allows in exceptional cases a teacher to be appointed who does not yet meet the right qualification requirements (temporarily appointable). Using these unqualified teachers is only allowed for a limited time and under certain conditions. Fully unqualified teachers must start training within one year; those who do not have the right qualification (different subject, different level) have two years, a period that in some cases may be extended once.