News item | 10-07-2025 | 10:00 AM
The number of young people in the Netherlands is falling, even considerably in some regions. Because MBO schools are currently largely funded on the basis of the number of students, contraction directly ensures financial pressure on education. Without action, the MBO offer in parts of the country is in trouble: training can disappear and students must travel further. In addition, the current model is increasing competition rather than cooperation. Minister Bruins (Education, Culture and Science) therefore works to make the funding of MBO future -proof. The minister today shares an intermediate position with the House of Representatives: an inventory of various options for new funding. The minister sends his preferred option to the Lower House around the turn of the year.
Minister Bruins: “Every young person must have the opportunity to develop in their own region into valuable skilled power. We cannot afford that the important MBO offering disappears in some regions. By now making choices about how we finance education, we ensure that MBO remains accessible to everyone in the future.”
Demographic contraction puts MBO and Labor Market under pressure
In several regions such as the Achterhoek, Friesland and South Limburg, the number of MBO students will fall by 20 to 20 to 30 percent until 2040. Nationally, the decrease is approximately 14 percent. As a result, it threatens to become increasingly difficult for MBO schools to keep training open. If nothing happens, offering in some areas that is crucial for the region, such as care, safety and climate transition training courses, will disappear. Students then get less choice, longer travel times and uneven opportunities. For sectors such as technology, it becomes even more difficult to train more talent.
Current model is not sustainable
Funding is the money that schools receive from the government to provide education – for example for teachers, teaching materials and buildings. Now that amount automatically falls as much as the number of students. The current way of funding also encourages competition rather than cooperation between schools. This can stand in the way of agreements that lead to a smartly organized range of training for the regional labor market and social tasks. Consider, for example, the energy transition.
Involvement of MBO sector and independent experts in the new funding
When working out the new funding, the expertise of the MBO sector and of independent specialists is used. To gain insight into what fits in well with the practice and the needs in the field, discussions were held with representatives of MBO institutions, students, teachers, the business community, municipalities and implementation. In addition, the Minister PwC has asked to carry out an inventory of the options.
New way of paying
The minister proposes three possible new ways of funding: aimed at simplification with customization for shrinking regions, accessibility and cooperation and labor market relevance and performance. The three packages have been developed on the basis of the Commission for the Review of MBO. The committee is led by Kees Vendrik.
Preferred option around the turn of the year
In the coming period, the Ministry will be working with PWC analyzing and calculating the three packages and will discuss this further with the MBO sector. Based on these conversations and the in -depth analyzes, the minister presents his preferred option around the turn of the year. The preferred option can consist of a combination of elements from the three packages. This lays the foundation for new laws and regulations, aimed at a future-proof and accessible MBO offer throughout the Netherlands.