Moving Carnival is not an option, the Provincial Council believes. If carnival clashes with the administration of the test for group 8, it should be rescheduled. Or extended the period in which the test can be taken. The Provincial Council passed a motion on this by a large majority. The province must now urge the minister to do so. Earlier, Minister Dennis Wiersma of Education said that carnival should be moved because the carnival and that ‘flow test’ coincide. That statement provoked astonishment.
The test must be administered by the ministry between 5 and 15 February. And carnival starts on the weekend of February 10. In addition, in the week leading up to carnival, there are various special activities at many schools in Brabant, including a carnival celebration. And the following week is the school holiday: the carnival holiday.
The motion was submitted by Local Brabant, together with a wide range of parties consisting of 50PLUS, Volt, D66, PVV, CDA, SP and Forum for Democracy. “It is good that we are sending a clear signal that carnival is extremely important to many people,” says Marc Oudenhoven (Local Brabant). “Apparently people don’t see that well yet, hopefully that will change now.”
Deputy Smeulders, responsible for culture, also thought the minister’s statement was strange. “It already caused surprise in the council. Fortunately, the ministry has already admitted that it was not a useful statement. I will enthusiastically implement this motion.”
Co-applicant Nico Heijmans (SP): “I wish the council a lot of strength, because it will be a fight.” The BBB also made the proposal to organize a parade in The Hague, “so that they really get the feeling”.
The Party for the Animals was also in favor and wished all children from Baviananland, Ganzegat, Krabbegat, Muggehol and all other villages with an animal-related carnival name a lot of fun.
Almost all parties in the States therefore voted in favor of the motion: 52 Members of Parliament were in favor and 1 was against. That was Anne Schipper of the ChristenUnie-SGP. According to Schipper, carnival is indeed important for a lot of people, but many people don’t like it either. JA21 thought the motion nonsensical because the province is not responsible for the education calendar, but voted in favour.
Part of the motion is also that the council will present the booklet ‘Defense of Carnival’ by writer Anton Dunkirk from 1928 to the minister. Possibly the province will work together with the college in Limburg. A similar motion will be introduced there.
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