Two weeks ago, during question time, Minister Wiersma (Primary and Secondary Education) called on schools to report immediately if they encounter problems due to energy bills. Wersma: Then we help. So we don’t leave anyone out in the cold. We will also not allow you to not be able to pay staff costs for this reason. If this threatens you, you should report.”

Primary and secondary schools can report to DUO if they are experiencing severe financial hardship. For example, if they can no longer pay salaries, as the Ministry of Education website indicates. However, a spokesperson for the implementing organization said there have been no reports at the moment.

According to the spokesperson, it is possible that schools are still anticipating problems, but no one has fallen into the ice yet. It’s also possible that school boards didn’t find their way to DUO to sound the alarm. The current warm weather may also be a cause. If the school contacts DUO, the identified problems are identified in consultation with the Ministry. The solution may then lie in a cash injection or other forms of emergency assistance.

The Ministry of Education is currently working to determine the extent of the problem in education. The department will send a plan to increase energy costs to the House of Representatives by December 1, 2022 at the latest.

The Post Office Board has already received alarming signals from schools, with outliers from a 600 to 700 percent higher bill. The speaker fears that schools whose long-term contracts are expiring, especially schools whose long-term contracts are expiring, could suddenly get into big problems. “They have to use the money and reserves for something other than its intended purpose: a good education.”