News item | 27-06-2025 | 16:31
Being bullied for who you are or what you like. Unwanted sexual comments or intimidation. No student or teacher may have to deal with this. That starts that schools have a good view of safety at their school. And if things go wrong, primary school or high school must be able to intervene quickly and help victims. That is the purpose of the Free and Safe Education bill that was sent to the Lower House on Friday. For example, schools must now register safety incidents and schools are obliged to appoint a safety coordinator.
State Secretary Mariëlle Paul (Foundation Education and Emancipation): “Being bullied or feel unsafe at school in another way. Deep traces. Those are sometimes traumas for life. That is why we have to do everything we can to prevent this and otherwise quickly resolve it. Fortunately, it is good to take good care of this, but I want everything to make every effort to ensure that Eállelene is an end of the Eállelen thesis for it. law will help with that. ”
Working on a safe school culture
Schools are already required to ensure a safe learning environment. For this they must have policy and implement and monitor the safety of students every year. They are also obliged to have a coordinator for the anti-bullying policy and a point of contact for bullying. In addition, primary education, secondary education, MBO and higher education already have a reporting, consultation and declaration obligation for signals of sexual abuse of minors. Staff members must report signals of sexual abuse of a student or student by a staff member or volunteer, to the school or institution board.
Good view of safety
Because things are not going well enough everywhere, the bill takes further steps in this. For a safe school culture, it is first of all important to get a better view of insecurity at the front, so that schools can take faster action if things go wrong or even unsafe situations can occur. That is why the existing student monitor, in which safety is requested for students, is expanded with questions about specific forms of insecurity, such as bullying. In addition, it is required for schools to register safety incidents. They must also report serious incidents to the Education Inspectorate.
In order to be able to intervene faster, the reporting and consultation obligation is also expanded. Firstly, educational staff must now not only make a report to the school board in signals of sexual abuse, but also with signals of sexual harassment. In addition, signals of sexual abuse and sexual harassment of adult students and students must now also be reported. The school or institution board must consult on that report with the Trust Inspectorate.
Support and an open conversation
In order to better help and guide victims, schools are also obliged to have 2 confidants from now on – both someone who works within the school and someone outside. Pupils, staff and parents get a place where they can go for advice and support if they experience insecurity. And because an open conversation about safety is essential for good safety policy, schools have to evaluate their safety policy annually.
In force from school year 2026-2027
The bill has been adjusted on a few points after advice from the Council of State. The new legislation is now first discussed with the House of Representatives and then with the Senate. The aim is that the new law comes into force from school year 2026-2027. Schools that already want to work with it can go to the School & Safety Foundation for support.