News - January 27, 2011

Wageningen is providing teachers again

The first certificate for the Education minor has been handed out. Wageningen also wants to provide courses leading to a grade one teaching qualification.

Esther Stam is the first student to successfully complete a Bachelor's degree in Biology with an Education minor. This gives her a grade two teaching qualification in the subject of Biology. She can start teaching straight away in Preparatory Vocational Secondary Education (VMBO) schools, and in the first three years of Senior General Secondary Education (HAVO) and University Preparatory Education (VWO) schools.
This means Wageningen teacher training really is back on the scene. 'Wageningen started offering teacher training in the 1960s but stopped again in the 1980s due to a lack of interest', says Martin Mulder, professor of Education and Competence Studies. 'Given the teacher shortages and the interest there is in teacher training, the time is ripe for reintroduction of the course.'
The minor was started in September 2009 and there are currently seventeen students on the course. At present, if you have a B.Sc. in Biology, Molecular Life Sciences or Economy and Policy you can teach the associated schools subjects of biology, chemistry and economics. Mulder wants to extend this to geography, physics and social studies. The professor also wants to start a course leading to a grade one teaching qualification. 'We want to start the grade one training in September 2012 provided we have sufficient critical mass by then.'