Numerous indicators determine whether a child in one municipality has just as much chance of a good life as in another municipality. Consider the educational level of the parents, the financial strength and the stability of the family. What about equality of opportunity in Drenthe? Statistics Netherlands has published figures about this.
Based on insights from the literature, the database has drawn up seven indicators that are ‘expected’ to be associated with inequality of opportunity. The associated data shows that primary school children in Emmen score the highest on most indicators of all municipalities in Drenthe. These are figures from 2022.
For example, the highest educational level of the parents was examined, because various studies have shown that the education of the parents plays an important role in children’s educational outcomes. Nationally, 10.4 percent of parents/guardians have a maximum VMBO or MBO-1 level. In Emmen this concerns 11.6 percent of children. By comparison: in Tynaarlo there are clearly fewer at 1.8 percent.
Emmen scores higher than the national average on all seven indicators. And in five of these, the municipality is ‘frontrunner’ in Drenthe. In addition to the level of education, this concerns the level of income in the household, parents without a recent employment history, changes in parents in the household and whether parents have recently been suspected of a crime.
Emmen does not score the highest on everything, because on two of the seven indicators the circumstances for Asser children are less favorable. For example, relatively most children in Assen live in single-parent families. There are also most families here with at least one parent who receives mental health care or takes mental health medication.
The intention is that policymakers will ultimately gain more insight into factors that contribute to inequality of opportunity, partly with the help of this data. CBS realizes that the list is not ‘exhaustive’. For example, the living environment and the quality of education have not been taken into account. But according to the database, it does provide a ‘global picture’ of developments and regional differences.
The Drenthe municipalities are not in the national top ten for any indicator.