News item | 10-03-2023 | 08:30
With hard work and doing your best you should be able to get the most out of yourself in the Netherlands. Where you live, who your parents are or what school you attend should not play a role. However, this is not yet obvious everywhere. Minister Wiersma (Primary and Secondary Education) is therefore earmarking €105 million to support young people who need it, for example by teaching in smaller groups or extra attention and guidance. More than 100,000 students at 700 secondary schools will benefit from this in the coming years.
Minister Wiersma: “In the coming years, we will be facing major challenges in the Netherlands that require solutions. We need every talent for that. That is why the government is investing in extra opportunities for secondary school students. This way they can end up in the many sectors that are eager to bring in all these talents.”
Extra guidance and activities during and after school
In secondary education, Minister Wiersma is structurally earmarking €105 million for the so-called learning plus arrangement on top of the existing €52 million. For example, major differences between pupils and schools must be reduced. Schools are instructed to use the extra money where students need it, for example for practical or technique lessons, smaller classes or extra homework supervision.
In addition, the School & Environment program was launched last year to prepare students extra well for the future. In and around many schools, extra activities are organized after school so that all pupils can get the best out of themselves. 128 coalitions of more than 600 schools, municipalities and local parties such as entrepreneurs, sports organisations, libraries and local associations already offer activities to more than 124,000 students. That number will increase this school year to about 181,000 students who, for example, receive an extended school day, homework supervision or practical lessons with an entrepreneur.
Basic skills and good education first
At school you lay the foundation for your future. Learning to read, count and write well is essential. €1 billion is available annually for these basic skills. We work with schools on the quality of education and invest in teachers. To make and keep working in education attractive, we invest €1.5 billion annually, as agreed in the Education Agreement.
In addition, Minister Wiersma thinks it is important that pupils in schools should simply receive good lessons instead of being dependent on commercial tutoring agencies. A quarter of all students use paid tutoring. Minister Wiersma wants schools to prevent this and offer tutoring to all students themselves. Not all parents can afford tutoring, homework assistance or exam training. The minister therefore wants to tackle and discourage private education. He is working with sector councils on stricter guidelines. For example, a bill will soon be subject to internet consultation that will make a certificate of good conduct (VOG) compulsory for personnel of commercial agencies.
Preschool education
Good education and laying the best foundations for the future of students and therefore of the Netherlands starts early. We already see big differences in primary schools. We want to start training them from a younger age in the coming years. Minister Wiersma is coming up with an additional approach to allow more children to use a so-called preschool by strengthening the quality of preschool education and improving the relationship between childcare and education. In this way we make optimal use of the school time to get the most out of students.