Ei-iE

A new government is being formed after the coalition agreement was presented on 7 February. Two former Presidents of the Algemene Onderwijsbond (AOb) Ella Vogelaar and Jacques Tichelaar were appointed to important positions in the new government.

Ella Vogelaar, former President of AOb and member of the EI Executive Board from 1993-1995, was nominated Minister of Integration and Urban Development in the new Dutch Government. Ella, who was the driving force behind the merger of the Dutch teachers unions, ABOP and NGL, will become responsible for helping minorities to integrate better into the Dutch society.

Ella's successor as AOb's President until 2002, Jacques Tichelaar, was designated Chair of the Labour Party faction in the Dutch lower house on 14 February.

"Two former AOb Presidents have been appointed to very important government positions. We have high expectations of the both of them. This should be good news for our sector," commented Walter Dresscher, current President of the AOb.

The new Dutch government, which is a coalition of the Labour Party (PvdA) and two Christian Democratic parties (CDA, CU), plans to increase investment in education, and soften the neo-liberal approach of the previous government.