Minister: Allowing a corona student to continue without a diploma is not necessary | Inland

The minister responds to a proposal from the VO Council, this morning on this website† The umbrella organization of secondary schools wants to discuss the fact that exam students who are not far enough with all subjects to obtain their diploma due to corona can already go to university or higher professional education on a conditional basis.

Wiersma: ,,I understand the concerns for these students very well. Because get ready to get enough for all your subjects if you had to sit alone behind your computer because of corona, many lessons fell out or you are less good in your skin. That is why I have already taken extra measures for these students.”

This school year, for example, one subject does not count towards the diploma, there are two resits possible and there is an extra period so that candidates can spread out their exams more. Moreover, customization is already possible for students in MBO, according to the minister.

“We have also earmarked a lot of money for the National Education Program (emergency aid for eliminating corona backlog, ed.), so that schools can help students as best as possible.”

According to Minister Wiersma, more measures therefore do not seem necessary. “They could also cause extra stress in young people. But if there are supported ideas to make more customization possible for specific students, I always want to have that conversation.”

Umbrella organization Universities of the Netherlands does not think it is a good plan to have exam students who do not yet have a diploma due to corona conditionally start their further education. “We understand the concerns of the VO Council about disadvantages among students in secondary education, but conditional admission to university does not seem to us to be the solution,” said a spokesperson. “Conditional admission means that the backlog continues to pile up and these students have an even harder time.”

The Association of Universities of Applied Sciences also does not consider conditional admission a good thing. According to the universities of applied sciences, it is important that students complete their school years well and then start their vocational training at the university with a clean slate.

LAKS chairman Iben Maas recognizes the picture that Hagoort, chairman of the VO Council, paints. “Pupils have trouble finding motivation for school and often have to get used to ‘normal’ school life again. That is precisely why it is so good to notice that he also recognizes that students need time; that that time must also be given. The same goes for making up for those social-emotional delays.”