National reforms in school education

14.Ongoing reforms and policy developments

14.2National reforms in school education

Last update: 21 June 2022

2021

Primary schools and daycare to reopen

News item | 31-01-2021 | 17:42

Primary schools, daycare and special schools will reopen on Monday 8 February, the government decided today. The OMT says it is safe for primary schools, daycare and special schools for primary and secondary education to reopen to all children. Out-of-school care will remain closed, to avoid children mixing in different groups, leading to extra contact and potentially extra infections.

‘Relief’ ‘It’s a relief that schools can reopen,’ said education minister Arie Slob. ‘For parents and teachers, and of course for the children too. Children learn best in school, including in terms of socialisation. But we will keep a close eye on the situation, as things remain serious in the Netherlands.’

‘Joint responsibility’ ‘Daycare centres can reopen again, luckily,’ said Wouter Koolmees, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment. ‘That means young children can play together again and develop, while their parents can focus on their work, assured that their children are in a safe environment. This will be a huge relief for many families. Juggling working from home and caring for young children is a great burden on many parents. The same goes for all the childcare staff who have kept providing emergency childcare under great pressure. But the reopening of primary schools and daycare does not change the responsibility we all share. Work from home if you can, and avoid contact with others, including when dropping off or picking up your children at school or daycare. This is the only way they can reopen safely.’

Minimise contacts The OMT recommends that steps be taken to further reduce the risk of infection in schools and daycare centres, and RIVM has issued some proposals. The government will publish amendments to the guidelines as soon as possible, based on these proposals and consultation with partners in the education and childcare sectors. Any children who have symptoms will be sent home, and if a child tests positive the whole class or group will have to self-quarantine.

Rapid testing in primary schools To enable infections to be detected quickly and reduce the need for entire classes to be sent home, education minister Arie Slob wants to launch trials very soon for rapid testing of primary school teachers. The possibility of including childcare staff in these trials is also being considered.

Priority testing Childcare staff will have soon have access to priority testing, as has already been the case for school staff for some time.

Secondary schools No decision has been made on when secondary schools will reopen.

Primary schools and childcare will not reopen sooner

News item | 17-01-2021 | 16:00

Primary schools and childcare centres will remain closed, except for emergency childcare, until 8 February. The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) says that it appears children are equally susceptible to and infectious with the new variant as with the original variant. This is yet to be confirmed, however. The government is also very concerned about the number of infections and the spread of new variants of the virus in the population. It is not therefore possible to open primary schools and childcare centres sooner. It is important to minimise contacts between adults.

Primary schools (including special schools) and childcare centres will continue to provide emergency childcare for the children of key workers, and for children in a vulnerable position. According to the OMT, this can be done safely, given the characteristics of these groups.

'Unfortunately, we have no choice but to keep schools closed to most pupils during this lockdown,’ said caretaker education minister Arie Slob. ‘I realise that this is a blow for parents, teachers and pupils. It’s incredibly difficult to help your children with their schooling and do your work at the same time. We are also very concerned about the fact that children will fall further behind. I am therefore working with the education sector to ascertain what extra measures are going to be needed, such as extended teaching hours. We will work out the details over the coming weeks, and the government will make funding available for this purpose over a number of years.’

‘Unfortunately, childcare will not be able to open sooner during this lockdown,’ said caretaker State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment Bas van ’t Wout. ‘I fully understand that this is a disappointment to parents, childcare staff and children. I know they are under great pressure, both the parents working at home and the staff providing emergency childcare. I have the greatest respect for all parents who are juggling working from home with caring for young children and supervising home schooling, but it would not be wise to open childcare centres fully at the moment, given the large numbers of infections. Childcare will remain available for vulnerable children and children with at least one parent who is a key worker, thanks in part to the amazing efforts of childcare staff. I will remain in discussion with the childcare sector in the run-up to the next review of all lockdown measures.’

Reopening of primary schools and childcare will be considered in the next comprehensive review of lockdown measures, which will remain in force until at least 8 February. Parents are requested to continue paying their childcare fees while the centres remain closed. The government will continue to provide support for these costs during the lockdown extension.

Emergency childcare is extremely busy in some places, as many parents are sending their children to childcare. Providers are keen to help primary schools, and the specifics as to what form this will take will be agreed over the coming week. The government and social partners will also discuss the possibility of ‘coronavirus leave’ for parents forced to combine work and childcare. The government is prepared to contribute to the costs.

The government previously made over €208 million available to fund programmes in primary and secondary schools to help children make up for lost learning during the coronavirus pandemic. More than 4,000 primary schools and almost 600 secondary schools have already received funding. All the available knowledge on how best to make up lost learning has been collated and published on lesopafstand.nl.

Changes in the education sector as of 1 January 2021

News item | 30-12-2020 | 11:45

In 2021, a number of changes will take effect in the primary and secondary education sector. The main changes are listed below.

New Schools Act The New Schools Act will come into force in primary education in February 2021. With this legislation, the government wants to ensure that types of school more closely match the wishes of parents and pupils. From 1 June 2021, the rules for setting up new schools have been amended. The main elements of the new legislation are the regional consultation on the need for a new school, new methods to measure demand for the new school, advance screening to assess quality and stricter requirements for board members.

Secondary education performance budget for strategic personnel policy, supervision of new teachers and reducing school refusal The secondary education performance budget will target new goals in 2021. Some of the goals set out in the sector agreement have been achieved, so the block grant will be reduced accordingly in 2021. However, a number of goals have not yet been achieved. These concern better strategic personnel policy, better supervision of new teachers and school leaders, and reducing school refusal. A separate, supplementary funding scheme will be introduced in 2021 to achieve these goals. Funds will be allocated to schools on the basis of pupil numbers.

Administrative rule on licences for advanced dance and music education in primary schools From March 2021, primary schools may apply for a DAMU licence to teach advanced dance and music, as secondary schools already can. This will contribute to a continuous learning pathway for children gifted in music and dance and enable them to develop their talents. Up to 12 primary schools may be awarded a licence. Each will have to partner with one of the 12 secondary schools already licensed to teach advanced dance and music and with an HBO institution for the performing arts.

Travel allowance for primary school pupils gifted in dance and music From August 2021, primary school pupils gifted in dance and music who are attending a preparatory course at an HBO institution for the performing arts will be eligible for a travel allowance, under the same criteria already applicable to secondary school students. Pupils need to be enrolled at a primary school licensed to teach advanced dance and music and at the HBO institution where they are attending the preparatory course. Eligibility is subject to requirements regarding minimum travel distance and maximum parental income.

2020

Minister Arie Slob introduces 25 measures to improve appropriate education

News item | 04-11-2020 | 16:00

Education minister Arie Slob has announced 25 measures designed to improve the system of appropriate education for pupils, parents and teachers. Pupils and their parents will have more say, with pupils having the right to be heard and involved in decisions affecting them. Parents will be better informed and it will be clearer for them what steps they can take if they fail to reach agreement with the school on appropriate provision for their child.

Provision for pupils who require extra assistance has improved since the introduction of appropriate education, though in many cases there is still room for improvement. This is the conclusion of the evaluation of appropriate education which the minister will submit to parliament today. Appropriate education is intended for pupils who need extra help, such as children with a physical disability or severe dyslexia, and for highly gifted children.

Slob: ‘Appropriate support for every pupil’‘Over the past few years we have taken real steps towards appropriate education for more pupils who need extra help,’ said Arie Slob. ‘But things do not always work as we would wish. So pupils will be given a say from now on, parents will be given a clearer picture of the options and teachers a clearer idea of what we do and don’t expect of them. We will keep doing our utmost to ensure every pupil receives appropriate support.’

Right to be heard To ensure pupils are involved in decisions that affect them, they will have a right to be heard. They must have a voice in decisions on the support they need. This does not currently happen in enough cases.

Basic national standard To tackle unfair differences between regions, a national standard for basic support will be introduced. This will define the minimum that is expected of schools, and should give teachers and parents more clarity. The standard will be drafted by independent experts. Schools and teachers will also be able to use it as a basis for discussing what support teachers need.

Right to education Another measure that has been announced is the introduction of a right to education for pupils. Schools and consortiums must facilitate this right, even if it means partially or temporarily resorting to different teaching hours or venues.

Conclusions of evaluation The evaluation concluded that basic support is almost always provided to everyone’s satisfaction. However, once the situation becomes more complex, problems tend to arise. The minister is therefore introducing 25 measures which, apart from the ones already mentioned, include tackling the large reserves of funding being held by school consortiums, and providing temporary remote learning for children who are absent due to school refusal.

Evaluation process The evaluation involved a study lasting several years, consisting among other things of 70 smaller studies by the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO), advisory reports from the Education Council, the Inspectorate of Education and the Children’s Ombudsman, surveys and position papers from the Primary and Secondary Education Councils, parents’ organisation Ouders & Onderwijs, teaching union AOb and teachers’ forum Lerarencollectief. Many meetings were held with over 25 representative parties as well as with pupils, parents and teachers themselves.

More inclusive education Pupils with and without special needs must be able to attend a local school together more easily than is currently the case. There are many initiatives designed to enable this. They will be given the scope to expand, and a plan will be drawn up to make all schools more inclusive over the next 15 years.

Extra money to catch up on learning lost due to school closures

News item | 08-10-2020 | 11:00

In a letter to the House of Representatives, education ministers Arie Slob and Ingrid van Engelshoven announced today that they will be releasing an extra €38 million so that schools can help pupils catch up on learning lost due to school closures in the coronavirus pandemic. They can use the money for extra tuition and catch-up classes, for instance during the autumn break.

The government had already earmarked €244 million for this purpose before the summer. Primary and secondary schools and schools for secondary vocational education (MBO) made grateful use of these funds. However, the ceiling for grants to primary and secondary schools had been exceeded. With the extra €38 million, all applications can be granted, if they meet the conditions. All applications from MBO schools have been granted. With these funds, the government will help a total of 300,000 pupils and MBO students catch up.

Approach Schools first decide what their pupils need, and choose the most appropriate approach. They can decide to outsource, as is often the case with summer schools. Schools working with central government and municipal authorities in the Equal Opportunities Alliance have free access to a group of education experts to help them set up effective catch-up programmes.

Prevention Schools are also working to prevent pupils from falling further behind. ‘I can see that teachers, school leaders and other school staff are truly committed to keeping schools open and preventing pupils from falling behind. And the circumstances are extremely challenging – they’re having to organise teaching both in person and online, for instance. We’re giving schools as much support as possible, so that young people can get a good education, despite the pandemic,’ said minister for primary and secondary education Arie Slob.

Practical tips If schools have to work with an adapted timetable because of the pandemic, it is logical that they will have to make choices and set priorities in relation to what they teach. The National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO) has produced guidelines to help them, which can be accessed at lesopafstand.nl. This website is schools’ main source of information on teaching in the pandemic.

Teachers and school leaders can find help, support and practical tips on this site, for example on hybrid learning (both in person and online), as well as a flexible roadmap and practical tips for school teams. Teachers can also contact education experts for advice by phone or email.

New rules for starting a school

News item | 19-05-2020 | 08:02

On Tuesday, the Senate approved legislation modernising the rules for starting a new primary or secondary school. The parties involved first need to show that there is sufficient demand for the new school and that it will deliver education of sufficient quality.

‘Freedom of education is one of the main achievements of our parliamentary democracy. Parents may themselves choose which school they will entrust their children to. With this new legislation we will be protecting this constitutional freedom, while ensuring that it is future-proof,’ said minister for primary and secondary education Arie Slob. ‘There will be more scope to set up new schools, and we’ll know in advance whether they’re likely to be successful. Because freedom also brings responsibilities.’

Quality of education Currently, the Inspectorate of Education only assesses the quality of teaching once a school is up and running. But with this new legislation, the inspectorate will screen the new school in advance for compliance with certain conditions, such as organisation of teaching time, the curriculum and whether the school will fulfil its statutory task to teach citizenship.

New method At present, new privately-run schools are eligible for government funding if they are based on a recognised faith or conviction (e.g. Roman Catholic or Islamic) and can show, by means of prognoses, that the number of potential pupils living in the area meets the required minimum for enrolments. Under the new legislation, new schools will no longer need to be based on a recognised faith or conviction, and a new method will be introduced to measure actual demand among parents.

Measuring demand The parties wanting to start a new school must collect statements from parents to establish demand. The results, in combination with demographic data, will be used to make a long-term prognosis. In exceptional cases, a market study may be carried out, for example to measure interest in a school in a newly planned residential area.

Consultation In future, the parties concerned must also consult with existing school boards, consortiums and the municipal authorities on their plans for a new school. That may lead an existing school to respond to the wishes of parents and pupils. In that case, no new school will be needed.

Candidate board members Candidates for membership of the new school’s board must be in possession of a certificate of conduct. No board may start a new school if in the five years prior to the application for funding it has been in charge of a school that had to close due to inadequate educational quality or on the irrevocable instructions of the minister.

Entry into force of new rules The new legislation is expected to enter into force as of next school year. In effect, this means that the new rules will be applicable to plans for new schools submitted from 1 June 2021.

Rules for reopening primary schools and childcare

News item | 24-04-2020 | 12:48

On Tuesday 21 April the government announced that primary schools, special schools for primary and secondary education and childcare centres will reopen, with appropriate rules in place, from 11 May. In many places this will be a simple matter, but some schools and childcare organisations still have questions. The Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Media and the State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment have urgently requested schools and childcare organisations to observe the following rules when they reopen.

Open on 11 May

Some schools do not want to resume in-person teaching until after 11 May. However, it is important that children return to school as soon as possible.
There is sufficient time for preparations. Staff of various organisations are available to help, and can be contacted via www.weeropschool.nl.
The Primary Education Council has developed two protocols for schools: one for primary schools and one for special schools for primary and secondary education. Posters are also available with practical information about the protocols for parents and teaching staff.
Protocols for childcare centres will be issued shortly.

Timetable for the coming weeks: full days

It is up to schools to decide exactly how teaching will take place from 11 May, but the idea is that children should attend school for the entire day.
A half-day timetable is not desirable, given the need to minimise the number of movements by parents. Furthermore, it would make out-of-school care difficult to organise.
Schools have been asked to opt for a timetable based on full days, preferably also including provision for all children to eat lunch in school.
Schools are of course best placed to decide how classes should be divided, and how children should be spread over the days, in such a way that all pupils can attend school at least 50% of the time.

School and out-of-school care: good arrangements

Out-of-school care providers will adhere to the same regime as primary schools, and must be available on the days that the schools they serve are open. This may differ from the normal contracted days.
This will be logistically complex for out-of-school care providers, as they pick up children from several schools, and many children will be attending on different days than usual.
Some schools and childcare centres have already come to arrangements, but unfortunately this is not yet the case across the board.
Schools and childcare organisations must therefore consult with each other as soon as possible and continue to discuss the matter throughout the forthcoming May holidays until satisfactory agreements are reached. Arrangements must be agreed at least a week before they come into effect. Guidance for the discussions can be found on the Primary Education Council’s website.
Arrangements must be well aligned, so that children can go to out-of-school care on the days they have been to school, allowing their parents to work more hours. This is vital in order to keep things workable for parents and children.

More information

Help for schools with preparations: www.weeropschool.nl.
Protocols for schools: Primary Education Council’s website.
Guidance for discussions between schools and childcare providers: Primary Education Council’s website.
Information on the government’s coronavirus measures and FAQs on education and childcare: central government’s website.

Corona measures extended until April 28

News item | 31-03-2020 | 19:00

The cabinet has decided that all corona measures in the Netherlands will be extended until Tuesday, April 28. In the week before April 28, the cabinet will assess what is needed for the period thereafter.

It is urgent advice to stay at home for the upcoming Easter weekend. Sports facilities, catering establishments and childcare, among other things, will therefore remain closed until April 28. In any case, schools will remain closed until after the May holidays. The ban on events will remain in effect until June 1.

No national exams this year

News item | 24-03-2020 | 11:00

All national exams for this school year have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, education minister Arie Slob has decided in consultation with the education sector. This will give schools more time to round off the school exams. Pupils’ school-leaving certificates will be based on their results in the school exams.

‘We’re aware of the enormous demands being placed on teachers right now,’ Mr Slob said. ‘And pupils want to be able to prepare well for their exams. This is a far-reaching decision but it provides clarity. I want to give all pupils the chance to leave school with a proper qualification despite this crisis, so that they can start their further education without delay in the autumn.’

School exams The national exams for the 2019/2020 school year have been cancelled. Pupils’ school-leaving certificates will be based on their results in the school exams. This decision gives schools more time to organise the last round of school exams with due consideration for quality and safety. Schools are urged to hold the exams online where possible. To this end, they may adapt their school exam syllabus.

The government is consulting with higher education and secondary vocational education on how first-year students starting in September can be as ready as possible for their further education, given the current situation.

Extra support for vulnerable children

News item | 20-03-2020 | 17:15

Education minister Arie Slob, along with schools and local authorities, will introduce measures to ensure that vulnerable children receive extra support as long as schools have to provide remote learning due to the coronavirus crisis. Pupils who do not have a laptop or tablet at home will be given the use of one by their school or local authority. Primary and secondary school boards’ IT cooperative SIVON will temporarily provide extra facilities. The organisation will be given €2.5 million for this purpose. This extra funding will allow thousands more children to be supported over and above those receiving help from schools and local authorities.

The government has decided to close schools and childcare centres until 6 April, which means that students in primary, secondary and secondary vocational education will not receive in-person teaching until 7 April at the earliest. Schools are currently hard at work organising remote and online learning for students who have to remain at home.

‘In this time of crisis, I believe it is important that all children receive online teaching,’ said Mr Slob. ‘In most cases, things are going well, with parents deeply committed to doing everything they can to enable their children to learn at home. But we’ve found that there is a group of pupils for whom this is more difficult, and they need extra support. So we’ve agreed measures with schools and local authorities.’

Unsafe home situation

There are children for whom learning at home is not a good option. They include children whose home situation is not safe. In order to support them as well as possible, local authorities will be able to offer teaching and childcare outside the home, together with schools, childcare centres, ‘Safe at Home’ centres and youth care services. Teaching and childcare may be offered at a library or in a school classroom, for example. These options are intended for pupils whose situation at home becomes untenable. The parties will examine what each child needs, what type of assistance and support are possible, and where this can be provided.

Extra support with school work

Minister Slob is delighted with the joint efforts of schools, teachers and parents to ensure that children receive the best possible education at home during this difficult time. Nevertheless, not all parents are able to give their children the support they need. Arrangements will therefore be made with extra support being provided by higher education students or people with a teaching qualification who do not currently work in education, for example.

It is up to schools and local authorities to determine precisely what extra support each learner needs. They know the children and what help is available.

Safety

Safety is of course the first priority in all these measures, and they must comply with all the rules in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

No attainment test this year for pupils in final year of primary school

News item | 18-03-2020 | 11:30

Teachers, school leaders and other education staff currently have their hands full providing in-person teaching for the children of key workers, and organising remote learning for children who are at home. This is taking all their energy, so education minister Arie Slob has decided that pupils in the final year of primary school (year 8) will not sit the primary school leavers attainment test this year.

‘We are currently making big demands of teaching staff,’ said Mr Slob. ‘I have the greatest admiration for the teachers and heads who are using all their creativity to teach children who are at home. This is currently the priority for schools, and I would urge everyone to understand and accept this.’

School advice

Over the past few weeks, pupils in year 8 have received an advice on what type of secondary school would be most appropriate for them. The school advice is based on a broad assessment of a pupil’s progress and development over the past few years. The school advice is always the deciding factor, and this year, too, it will determine which type of secondary education pupils are able to transfer to.

Secondary education

Mr Slob has asked primary schools to prepare year-8 pupils as well as possible for the transition to secondary education, and to do this in consultation with secondary schools. Over the coming school year, secondary schools will pay close attention as to whether children have been placed in a programme that matches their educational potential. Minister Slob will agree further details with secondary schools.

Tackling the coronavirus requires temporary closure of schools and day care centers

News items | 15-03-2020 | 18:17

The cabinet has decided to close schools and daycare centers from March 16 until April 6. This means that the majority of pupils in primary education, secondary education and vocational education (mbo) will no longer be taught at school until April 6. For children of parents in crucial profession groups, such as healthcare, education, police, public transport and fire brigade, there is childcare at their own school and / or day care center, so that their parents can continue to work. This childcare is at no extra cost.

In recent days it has become clear that more and more schools in particular are failing to keep their school open physically. This is because they are dealing with concerned teachers and parents. In addition staff and children are sick at home or preventively stay at home. According to Ministers Slob and Van Engelshoven, clear choices have to be made.

Together with the relevant educational organizations and childcare, it has been agreed that educational staff and pedagogical employees who are not sick go to their school and childcare location. So that they can provide care for the children of parents who belong to a crucial profession groups. In addition, they will work on organizing distance education for children who are at home. The schools give priority to organizing education for final exam students.

Minister Slob: “We realize that we are asking a lot of teachers, school leaders and day-care centers. Therefore I would like to convey my compliments to everyone who is committed to this. We can imagine that there are still many questions. We hope that we can quickly provide more clarity to parents, pupils and the people who work in education and childcare. We are in close consultation with the representatives from education and childcare about this. ”

The cabinet calls on the municipalities to work with schools and childcare locations to design childcare for the children of parents in crucial profession groups.

2019

Contingency plans for teacher shortages in the largest cities

News item | 16-12-2019 | 14:28

Action to address teacher shortages is leading more and more people to opt for a career in education. The shortage of primary school teachers is still increasing, but more slowly than predicted. Yet the long-term prognoses are disturbing. Efforts therefore need to be stepped up – especially in the largest cities, which have the greatest teacher shortages.

Today, education ministers Ingrid van Engelshoven and Arie Slob informed the House of Representatives that the teacher shortage in primary education in 2024 is now projected to be 1,300 FTEs lower than previous estimates. This means that in five years’ time the shortage will have increased by 1,970 FTEs. These figures do not include the positive results achieved this year, which has seen the arrival of nearly 850 lateral-entry teachers and an 18% increase in the number of support staff.

‘I’m pleased that our approach to combat teacher shortages is working, but I’m also aware that many schools aren’t noticing any effect. The problem is still very serious, certainly in the major cities,’ Mr Slob said. ‘We’ll have to make a huge effort and step up action, jointly with school boards, teacher training colleges, teachers, municipal authorities and all other stakeholders.’

G5 contingency plans

In particular, Mr Slob is consulting closely with school boards, the Inspectorate of Education and the municipal authorities of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Almere (the G5) on what measures are needed to safeguard the quality and continuity of teaching in these cities. Contingency plans will be drawn up for Amsterdam and The Hague by the end of January, and then for Rotterdam, Utrecht and Almere. These plans will show which schools have the most acute shortages, and what steps school boards can take now to alleviate this. They will also explore opportunities for closer collaboration between school boards and small schools facing closure due to falling pupil numbers.

Quality first

The contingency plans will also address the question of whether it is necessary to depart from existing regulations and if so, under which conditions, giving priority to quality of teaching and customisation. The contingency measures should relieve the acute strain on schools, giving them breathing space and enabling them to turn their attention to solutions for the years to come.

Organising teaching differently

Teaching will have to be organised differently, with fewer teachers than in the past, but without compromising on quality. This can be achieved by organising teaching time differently, using digital aids – e.g. for correcting homework – to save teachers time or through more variation in teaching staff.

Stepping up efforts

Action to address teacher shortages will be stepped up in the following ways:

In 2020 and 2021 €30 million will be invested in the regional strategy. The four largest municipalities – Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht – will each receive €1 million a year for the next four years.
A targeted approach to shortage subjects in secondary education.
€300 million in 2020 and 2021 for professional development and to relieve pressure of work on primary and secondary school teachers. Extra structural funding of €97 million for primary schools has been brought forward to relieve work pressure. (This amount was laid down in the voluntary agreement with the social partners, and is over and above the €1.6 billion invested by the current government in education, culture and science).
School boards will be asked to actively encourage teachers now working in small part-time jobs to work more hours.
An extra investment of €10.6 million for the next three years for better training for and assistance to new teachers (laid down in the voluntary agreement). School boards also have an important role to play here.
More regional cooperation will be encouraged, both between school boards themselves and between school boards and teacher training colleges.
Joint agreements between HBO institutions and universities on lateral-entry teacher training and retraining from surplus to shortage subjects.
In early 2020 a helpdesk will be set up to give information on all the routes available for a career in teaching, helping potential teachers find appropriate training.

Longer term solutions

In the longer term, the education ministry is working on a new system of qualifications, with more specialisms, for example, to make the teaching profession more attractive. Work is also being done to make teacher training courses more accessible and flexible. The stricter entry requirements for primary school teacher training college (PABO) will be maintained, but training institutions are addressing the problems revealed by the recent evaluation. The entry requirements are having a positive effect on the quality and image of the PABOs, and are leading to more admissions – particularly of men with a pre-university education (VWO) qualification.

Up to €48 million for schools with declining pupil numbers

News item | 15-07-2019 | 09:33

Over the next five years, a maximum of €48 million per year will be available for secondary schools facing declining pupil numbers in their region. This was announced today by the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Arie Slob. All secondary schools are eligible, but their applications must be based on consultation with local primary schools, the municipal authorities and post-secondary education providers.

Declining pupil numbers are a serious problem in large parts of the country. This investment is designed to prepare schools for the future,’ Mr Slob explained. "Different regions may follow different strategies, from more effective collaboration between schools in one region to school mergers or even closures elsewhere. And in some cases, a school building may have to stay open because there are no alternatives within cycling distance." The government will earmark €10 million in 2020 and €15 million in 2021. If in the next five years pupil numbers decline faster than anticipated, the funding released can be spent on helping schools prepare for the future, up to a maximum of €48 million a year.

45 regions to receive millions for VMBO engineering and technology

News item | 01-07-2019 | 12:00

In 45 regions, pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) schools with a focus on engineering and technology will receive over €231 million in extra funding. This amounts to almost €16,000 per pupil. The plans to improve engineering and technology education are the result of collaboration between VMBO schools, MBO schools and local and regional businesses. Education minister Arie Slob commented: ‘The job market urgently needs skilled technicians. So schools and the business community have teamed up and produced ambitious plans that are bursting with enthusiasm and great ideas!’

From new workshops to technology in primary education

Different regions have different plans, from setting up a new, shared engineering workshop to practical training for VMBO pupils at local businesses. Many regions will also be taking the opportunity to introduce primary school pupils to engineering and technology.

Support for improving plans

A total of 78 regions have submitted plans for further developing engineering and technology education in the coming four years. Regions whose plans have not yet been approved will have until 1 October 2019 to update and improve their proposals. In many cases, these were rejected for being insufficiently collaborative. These applicants will receive help to adjust their proposals.

Implementation of the regional plans will be funded from the €100 million allocated for engineering and technology education in the coalition agreement.

Teacher’s advice on pupil progression in final year of primary school to remain decisive

News item | 21-06-2019 | 14:15

In response to a proposal from Arie Slob, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education and Media, the cabinet has agreed that the school advice – teachers’ assessment of pupils’ educational potential – should remain the decisive factor in determining the most appropriate type of secondary school for each pupil. Pupils’ results on the primary school leavers attainment test should remain a secondary consideration. Mr Slob did however propose that pupils in the final year of primary school (year 8) sit the test earlier in the school year, immediately after teachers have issued their advice, so as to prevent hothousing.

These measures have been announced in a letter to parliament on the final evaluation of the School Leavers Attainment Test (Primary Education) Act, which entered into force in the 2014/2015 school year. Since then, the school advice has formed the basis for admission to secondary school. It is partly for this reason that the attainment test is taken after the school advice is issued. A school may adjust its advice upwards after the attainment test, if warranted by the result.

Trusting teachers’ judgment

A poll of 2,500 teachers of children in the last two years of primary school found that three quarters of them are in favour of maintaining the current order. Mr Slob agrees. ‘This means that the school advice is based on a broad assessment of the child’s development. I trust teachers’ professional judgment in this respect. I also think it’s important that pupils and their parents do not feel even more pressure to perform well in the attainment test.’

Equal opportunities

Equal opportunities for every pupil remain a matter of concern. The school advice for pupils whose parents have a lower level of education or who live in less urbanised areas is generally for a less academically challenging type of secondary school. If these pupils score higher than expected on the school leavers attainment test, their school advice is less likely to be adjusted. Some in the education sector expect more equality of opportunity if the attainment test is sat earlier in the school year. Experts are divided on this, however. If the attainment test were to become more significant again, this could lead to more hothousing, which disproportionately benefits the children of highly educated parents.

Tackling problems

The government has proposed solutions to a number of practical problems. Firstly, the school leavers attainment test is to be brought forward to the first two weeks of March, immediately after the provisional school advice has been issued. This will prevent hothousing for the test if a pupil’s parents do not like the advice they have received. The provisional school advice will have to be issued before the test, between 1 February and 1 March.

Simultaneous enrolment

Furthermore, there will be a single nationwide deadline for the finalisation of pupils’ school advice, somewhere between 15 April and 1 May. All pupils would then enrol at a secondary school at the same time on the basis of their final school advice. Currently, pupils enrol on the basis of their provisional school advice, and if it is subsequently adjusted they are not always able to find a place at their preferred school. A feasibility study will be conducted to establish whether the proposed dates are workable for primary and secondary schools.

Teacher guidance

The government also intends to increase equality of opportunity by offering teachers guidance on how to assess pupils’ educational potential in a fair and well-considered way. Using findings from academic studies, guidance will be drafted in collaboration with teachers to help them be more transparent and explicit about their reasons for giving a certain school advice. This can help prevent unconscious bias and provide a basis for primary schools’ meetings with parents and with secondary schools on pupils’ school advice.

Improving the system

Mr Slob has also proposed that the system be improved. One problem in the current system is that two bodies monitor the standard of attainment tests, each with its own quality framework. As a result, the tests are not entirely comparable, which creates an uneven playing field. A recent incident in which some pupils received the wrong result for their attainment test highlighted once more that this is a vulnerability. Quality control will therefore be placed entirely in the hands of the Examination Board (CvTE). It has also been proposed that the government stop offering a national attainment test. Since several commercial parties also provide attainment tests, this is no longer necessary. If a private party expresses an interest, the content of the national test may remain available to schools.

Attainment test score to become less decisive

In the longer term the government wants to work towards a system in which pupils’ progression from primary school to a type of secondary school is less final and all-defining in terms of their further school career. ‘I want the attainment test to become less decisive, and to be used mainly to get an impression of where children are at the end of year 8 in terms of reading, writing and arithmetic,’ the minister explained. ‘In the first and second years of secondary school it can be decided whether they are in the right place. This would make it easier for pupils to transfer to a different stream, and would reduce the importance attached to the test and the school advice.’

After the summer the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science will hold a conference with stakeholders in education to explore what steps are needed to ensure that the transition from primary to secondary education is less decisive for pupils’ remaining time in education.

The proposal concerning the school leavers attainment test has yet to be debated in the House of Representatives. If the decision-making process goes smoothly, the plans could be introduced from the 2021/2022 school year.

Cabinet approves bill on continuous VMBO-MBO learning trajectories

News item | 14-06-2019 | 15:15

Pupils completing pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) will soon have a smoother transition to secondary vocational education (MBO). The cabinet has approved plans by education ministers Ingrid van Engelshoven and Arie Slob to introduce continuous VMBO-MBO learning trajectories.

To ease the transition between the two types of training and remove existing obstacles, schools may offer continuous VMBO-MBO learning trajectories from 2020. A continuous learning trajectory is set up jointly by VMBO and MBO schools, and takes the learner from the upper years of VMBO through to the end of MBO. The course can be offered at either a VMBO or MBO school, and provides scope for more in-depth, broader or speedier vocational training.

Schools are free to design the learning trajectories as they wish. For instance, it may be best for some pupils to do secondary vocational training at their VMBO school. This saves them having to get used to a new school and new teachers. Another option is for young people to start MBO-level training in the upper years of VMBO and gradually transfer to the MBO school, which makes the transition less daunting.

The cabinet agreed to send the bill to the Council of State for its opinion. The text of the bill and the opinion of the Council of State will be published on submission to the House of Representatives, probably this autumn.

Funding to reduce work pressure at primary schools brought forward

News item | 06-03-2019 | 17:55

The government is to release funding ahead of schedule to reduce work pressure at primary schools. To tackle the problem, €237 million has already been made available in the current school year, and this will be increased to €333 million in the 2019/2020 school year.

Schools can use the extra funds to, for instance, hire specialist physical education or handicraft teachers, teaching assistants or caretakers, in order to lighten the workload of classroom teachers and enable them to focus on their core task. ‘Teachers benefit from a lighter workload,’ according to education minister Arie Slob. ‘For example, if a school hires a PE teacher, it releases the classroom teacher for 2½ hours a week. This enables schools to channel the funding specifically to reduce work pressure.’

A year ago, teachers’ unions, the Primary Education Council and the government signed a joint agreement on reducing teachers’ work pressure. The sector drew up plans for dealing with the problem and the government released funding to the tune of €237 million for the current school year.

The response from schools has been positive, although the workload in primary education remains a matter of continuing concern. Partly for this reason, teachers’ union CNV Onderwijs pressed for additional funding to be made available sooner. The government has responded by making €333 million available for the 2019/2020 school year. This works out at around €15,000 per school and comes on top of the €35,000 a year they are already receiving, on average, as of the current school year.

School staff are free to decide how the funding is spent, but their plans must first be approved by the school’s participation council. With this in mind, it is vital for staff to start talking now about how the school will use next year’s funding.

2018

Simplification of the transfer from VMBO to HAVO

News item | 07-09-2018 | 15:15

The transition from VMBO to HAVO is being simplified. The Council of Ministers agreed with the legislative proposal of Minister Slob of Primary and Secondary Education and Media, which stipulates that pupils with a diploma in the mixed or theoretical learning path may not be refused at HAVO, provided that they meet conditions to be determined nationally, such as to pass the successful final exams in an extra course in VMBO.

With the bill, an equal chance of advancement is promoted for all pupils. Now schools often set additional requirements themselves. Those requirements can differ per school. This leads to inequality and lack of clarity.

The Council of Ministers has agreed to send the bill to the Council of State for advice. The text of the bill and the advice of the Council of State will be made public when submitted to the House of Representatives.

New act to help shape citizenship education

News item | 21-12-2018 | 15:45

Good citizenship education for pupils is a matter of importance for Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Arie Slob. Existing legislation provides insufficient guidance, leaving schools unsure about how to integrate citizenship education in lessons. Mr Slob intends to amend the act in order to provide more support to schools. Today marks the launch of an online consultation where all interested parties can share their views on the new act.

Citizenship refers to the manner in which people participate in society. In the Netherlands people are expected to be respectful towards others and their freedoms, and to respect the principles of democracy and the rule of law. These shared values are essential in order for different people to live together peacefully. Children are not instinctively aware of these values: they must be taught them and reminded of them. Schools have an important part to play in this. ‘School is about more than preparing children for the labour market. It is where we are prepared for life,’ the minister said.

Knowledge and respect

The new act states that schools must teach children to know and respect the basic values of democracy under the rule of law. Schools are also the place where pupils from different backgrounds come together and actively practise the skills they will later need to function in society. This makes schools – in addition to the home environment – an excellent place to learn how to interact with each other respectfully.

The act will also lay down that schools must set children a good example. “Schools often struggle to provide proper citizenship education, because the old legislation provides very little direction,”Mr Slob said. “This means schools go about it in very different ways. Some are doing an excellent job and have really incorporated citizenship in their DNA. At other schools citizenship education is limited to one lesson a year. Once the new bill is passed, this will no longer be acceptable. The school as a whole will be required to set the right example.”

Inspection

The amendments to the act should also provide scope for the Inspectorate of Education to discuss citizenship education with schools. In the present situation, schools can only be held to account if they dedicate no attention whatsoever to the topic. Mr Slob believes stricter requirements should be in place for such an important task. ‘Citizenship education is a core task for every school,’ he said.

Freedom

In addition to tightening up the requirements for schools, a development team is drawing up learning objectives in connection with a general curriculum reform being worked on by dozens of teachers and heads of school. Nine development teams – one of which focuses on citizenship education – are drawing up reports on what skills and knowledge pupils should acquire at school. Their recommendations will be presented to the minister in the spring of 2019.

Schools will of course retain the freedom to shape their lessons as they see fit. “The great thing about the Dutch education system is that pupils can choose a school that suits their interests and convictions. Schools are free to choose their own teaching methods, topics, text books and other teaching materials. This applies to citizenship education too, as long as schools respect and teach our fundamental values and freedoms.”

Extra funding for all VMBO schools with an engineering and technology focus

News item | 06-06-2018 | 07:30

All pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO) schools with a focus on engineering and technology will receive extra funding in 2018 and 2019 to invest in this stream. Schools will receive €1,500 in 2018 and €3,000 in 2019 for each pupil enrolled in the basic vocational programme or the middle-management vocational programme and half of these amounts for each pupil enrolled in the combined programme. This was announced today by the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Arie Slob, in a letter to parliament on the allocation of €100 million of extra government funding for engineering and technology education.

Schools are receiving this financial boost in light of the urgent need for education in the engineering and technology fields. Demand for skilled technicians is growing. At the same time the overall number of secondary school pupils is falling and fewer VMBO pupils are opting for engineering and technology subjects. This makes it difficult to provide high-quality training and a comprehensive range of options in all regions. The impending teacher shortage also puts pressure on the quality of education.

“Advances in technology move at a fast pace,” the minister pointed out. “Just think of all the developments in the energy sector, the rise of electric cars and technical systems in the home. We don’t know for certain what the labour market will look like when today’s pupils start work, so we must enable schools to keep up with the latest developments. This investment gives schools the opportunity to expand their engineering and technical courses.”

Regional cooperation to cope with population decline

The labour market, and with it the demand for technical staff, varies across the Netherlands. For this reason different courses may be offered depending on the region. Mr Slob has asked schools to submit a regional plan for 2020-2023 by 1 April 2019. This plan must be the result of collective consultation between relevant regional parties, including secondary schools, secondary vocational (MBO) schools, businesses and municipalities. On the basis of their regional plan schools can be allocated extra funding for four years from 2020.

Mr Slob hopes to encourage schools to work together more closely and ensure that engineering and technology courses at VMBO level are offered in all parts of the country. ‘It is of great importance that high-quality, up-to-date and innovative engineering and technology courses remain available for pupils all over the Netherlands,’ the minister said. “This requires foresight and cooperation with other schools and regional businesses. I’m glad to see that schools are all set to start making plans together with the private sector.”

The plans for this extra investment were made in consultation with VMBO schools, MBO schools, businesses in the region and municipalities.

Government to improve spread of funds for combating educational disadvantage

News item | 26-04-2018 | 15:45

The funds allocated to municipalities and schools to reduce the risk of educational disadvantage among children are to be divided over the country more effectively. The cabinet has approved a proposal to this effect by the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Arie Slob. Over the next few years the budget for municipalities will be increased by €170 million, as set out in the coalition agreement. Schools will receive €260 million on a structural basis, bringing the government’s total investment in educational opportunities for children to €746 million.

Municipalities will spend these funds chiefly on early childhood education at day nurseries, where preschool children at risk of disadvantage learn Dutch in a play-oriented setting. Schools can use the funds to offer pupils more intensive support or special language classes. The extra funding available will enable young children to attend preschool for 16 instead of 10 hours per week and improve the quality of preschools.

Opportunities for children at risk

The government has introduced a new allocation system with the aim of increasing the educational opportunities of children most at risk of educational disadvantage. The new system will focus more on a child’s circumstances and background, and less on where they live and the size of their municipality. ‘I want every child in the Netherlands, regardless of where they grow up, to have the opportunity to develop their gifts and talents,’ the minister said. ”The new system for allocating funding is the best way to achieve this.”

Predicting risk more accurately

The new system not only looks at parents’ level of education to determine whether a child is at risk, but also takes other factors into account, including how long the child has been in the Netherlands, what the parents’ country of origin is and whether the parents receive debt counselling. This gives a more accurate prediction of a child’s risk of educational disadvantage.

The changes mean the budget can be reallocated each year in line with fluctuations at the schools or in the municipalities in question. Currently, funds are allocated based on data from 2009, which relates to a population of children who are by now in secondary education. While some municipalities and school boards benefit from this system, many others are put at a disadvantage. Using more up-to-date data will ensure funds are allocated more fairly.

In addition, the funding schools receive is falling each year, as a result of parents’ higher level of education. The introduction of the new indicator and allocation system will halt this development and ensure schools receive the funding they need. Without these changes the budget would continue to fall by €20 to €25 million annually.

Less paperwork, less work pressure

The new system has another major advantage for schools: they no longer need to fill out forms together with parents in order to receive funding for children at risk of educational disadvantage. From now on the budget for each school will be calculated by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on the basis of specific indicators. Many schools were critical of the amount of paperwork involved in the labour-intensive application procedure. The procedure was also prone to errors, which in recent years resulted in schools having to pay back amounts. The new system is expected to provide more financial clarity and reduce work pressure.

Transitional arrangement

Most municipalities will now receive more funding. However, the more accurate allocation system also means some schools and municipalities will receive less funding. A three-year transitional arrangement will give schools and municipalities time to adapt to their new situation.

More lenient assessment of primary schools with high proportion of pupils needing extra help

News item | 04-04-2018 | 15:59

In April 2018 the Inspectorate of Education was given more scope for taking into account the number of children requiring extra support when assessing primary schools’ results. On the primary school leavers attainment test these pupils sometimes score lower than might have been expected on the basis of their backgrounds, despite the school’s best efforts. This could result in a school not meeting the minimum standard.

This measure was announced in the coalition agreement and allows the Inspectorate to give a positive assessment of the performance of schools that take on a large number of children with special educational needs. ‘We must recognise schools’ achievements and not penalise them for going the extra mile to include pupils who need more attention,’ said Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Arie Slob.

Special educational needs

Some schools are making an extra effort to welcome pupils with special educational needs, such as children with severe behavioural disorders or autism or children in youth care. If, as a result, the school has an atypical population and scores lower than might be expected on the basis of the average pupil weighting alone, the Inspectorate may use its discretionary power to make an exception and classify the school’s results as sufficient. The school must be able to show that it has helped its pupils to perform to the best of their ability.

Previously the Inspectorate of Education could only avoid giving a negative assessment by stating that no assessment could be made. The order introducing this change was published in the Government Gazette on 4 April 2018 and entered into force with immediate effect, allowing primary schools’ results to be assessed under the new rules.

Agreement on reducing pressure of work in primary education

News item | 09-02-2018 | 17:00

Trade unions, the Primary Education Council and the government have reached agreement on reducing work pressure in primary education. The sector has made its own plans on how to tackle this problem and on ensuring that funding is used as effectively as possible. The government has expressed confidence in the plans and will disburse the funding to schools ahead of schedule.

The work pressure agreement means that as of the coming school year, primary schools will receive €237 million extra for tackling excessive work pressure. In the 2021/2022 school year, funding will be increased to €430 million. An average school with 225 pupils will receive about €35,000 extra in 2018/2019, increasing to €65,000 from 2021/2022 onwards.

Results to be proud of

The voluntary agreement on reducing work pressure is the result of intensive consultations over recent months between primary education minister Arie Slob and the Primary Education Front (representing the Primary Education Council, the General Union of Education Personnel (AOB), the CNV teaching unions (CNVO), the General Union of School Managers (AVS) , the Federation of Education Trade Unions (FvOv), the Trade Union Confederation FNV and the primary education lobbyists PO in Actie.

Together they expressed a sense of pride in what the negotiations had achieved. In a joint statement they said: ‘The education sector has worked very hard indeed to achieve this. We are pleased with the new funding, which should help to reduce the pressure on staff at primary schools and will be released in the short term. We are confident that it will benefit teachers and pupils, and that they will all notice a real difference in the classroom.’

Schools decide measures themselves

The education sector has done its own research on the best ways to tackle excessive work pressure. The solutions will vary from school to school. School managers and staff will be able to decide for themselves what works best. For some schools it will mean hiring extra staff, like a teaching assistant or caretaker, or specialist gym or music teachers. Other schools may want to free up time by investing in new IT tools or equipment.

Monitoring the situation

All the parties who signed the work pressure agreement have gone to great lengths to ensure that the extra funding will be spent exclusively on measures to reduce the pressure of work. ‘We feel jointly responsible for this, so schools will account for their expenditure and teachers will be able to monitor the situation though the participation council.’

The parties to the agreement will continue their discussions with the aim of arriving at a long-term quality-driven strategy to make working in primary education more attractive again. ‘This funding will not make all the problems in the education sector disappear overnight. The teacher shortage, appropriate education for special needs pupils, and declining pupil numbers in some parts of the country – all these issues deserve attention,’ Mr Slob said. ‘But the funding for dealing with work pressure in primary schools is of major, structural importance. If we all put our shoulders to the wheel, we believe that teachers will soon notice a positive difference in the classroom.’

Collective labour agreement (CAO) talks underway

Besides extra funding for reducing the work pressure experienced by primary school teachers, the government is releasing €270 million to raise their salaries. The details will be laid down in a new collective labour agreement. Intensive negotiations are currently ongoing. While trade unions and employers welcome the extra cash in teachers’ pay packet, they emphasise that it is not enough for them to withdraw their longstanding demands for higher wages.

Eurydice

Netherlands