Education minister Arie Slob has decided to delay the introduction of an official register of teachers which would include their qualifications and additional courses they have followed.

The register was part of efforts by Slob’s predecessor Sander Dekker to improve the quality of teaching staff at Dutch schools. Only teachers who regularly went on refresher and other courses would have been included in the register and been allowed to teach.

Although the plan had been approved in both houses of parliament, teachers and school heads were extremely critical of the plan as was the Council of State, the government’s most senior advisory body.

Slob told MPs in a briefing on Monday that he plans to first look at other options to improve standards and the professionalism of teachers.