Teacher load hours (DBU) keep getting less for the same work.
- Some teachers of the Health Care and Social Work Division compared the old and the new DBU-norms on their own initiative.
- They ask the management team if the alarming rise in workload they discovered is true.
A large cutback was made, between the various activities in the setup of the new study program Social Work, by decreasing the ‘Docent Belasting Uren (DBU)’, the calculation of the teacher load hours, for the same work. That was noted by some teachers of the Health Care and Social Work Division. The new study programme Social Work, they write in the introduction of their analysis, ‘is also about own strength, citizens’ initiative and co-creation.’ So such an initiative fits perfectly with the programme.
The teachers compared the old DBU-system to the new one, which was implemented with the start of the Social Work programme. Firstly, they noted that a DBU was sixty minutes before, but was reduced back to fifty. With that comes that the amount of DBU given per education unit was reduced too. Before, teaching a series of seven lectures was equal to 24 DBU, but in the new system it has been reduced to 17.5. An extra load of 27 percent, the teachers conclude. A comparable aggravation shows itself in the DBU-numbers for seminars and for the activities for the Learning Community. The amount of DBU that are awarded for preparing new education is that low that it, according to the teachers, stands in no ratio to the amount of work put in. The standard framework gives 20 DBU. The teachers calculate that we are actually speaking of 115 DBU. Also, there has been cut back on the hours spent on making (re-sit) tests. We would be speaking of 60 percent extra workload.
The teachers noted that a cutback has been carried out that was not yet implemented in how lessons and assignments are taught. They noted ‘based on the above findings’ that ‘the workload certainly increased’. There is a severe increase in workload especially for teachers who develop and teach the new education which seems to be between 30 and 50 percent. Taking care of new education, new lesson materials and other methods, is an extra load, ‘and they have not taken this into account’. None of the teachers in the new education have received extra DBU for this. The analysis has been sent to the unit participation council and to the management team of the division, with the conclusion: ‘We would like to hear if the facts in this writing are correct.’ (MH)
