Despite Mark Rutte’s full agenda, the Prime Minister managed to respond within one day to the app from teacher Yvonne Weerts from Tilburg. Her primary school class came up with an idea for a ‘children’s cabinet’ during the children’s question hour in the House of Representatives. The prime minister saw something in that and so the contact details were exchanged between the school and the prime minister. “See what we can do.”
Every year, the blue seats in the House of Representatives are filled with primary school children for the children’s question time. Groups 7 and 8 of primary schools throughout the Netherlands can register to participate by sending a critical question to the House. Five winning primary schools are chosen and they can really ask their question in The Hague. This year De Borne from Tilburg was one of the lucky ones. Miss Yvonne Weerts’ class left for The Hague to put the cabinet to the test.
A student from Yvonne’s class asked whether it was possible for children to submit ideas to the government every month from a ‘children’s cabinet’. In this way, the government would know better which subjects are important to children. Rutte liked the idea and so he suggested exchanging contact details with someone from the school.
“We wrote a message with all the children.”
“Mr Rutte asked if there was a teacher present with whom the numbers could be exchanged. Then I raised my hand,” says Yvonne. After the debate, she received Rutte’s number from the registrar and it was ensured that Rutte received her telephone information. And it’s the prime minister’s real private number.
“In the evening I was called by a spokesperson for Mark Rutte. He told me that we will be looking at how we can make a plan through the Ministry of Education to ensure that the children’s cabinet is built.”
According to Yvonne, the children also thought it was great that they now have Rutte’s number. Work was also done immediately. “This morning we wrote a message together with all the children. We immediately invited him to visit us at our school.”
“He hasn’t texted back yet.”
On Wednesday evening, there was really an answer from the prime minister. He wrote: “I want to thank the children. It was beautiful and we are going to see what is possible.” Despite the short but powerful message, the teacher is very happy with a response. “That man has so little time that I think it’s nice that he texts back.”
Whether Rutte saves the message on his new phone is the question, but Yvonne does. And the plans for the children’s cabinet? Both the ministry and Yvonne’s class have yet to start there. It’s all just started and nothing is concrete yet.
If the children’s cabinet does take shape in the future, it may still have a role as spokesperson for Yvonne. “I’m the closest to it at the moment,” she laughs. But according to the teacher, we still have to look at how the layout will ultimately be.
