MBO graduates fulfill crucial functions in sectors such as healthcare, technology, transport and logistics, food supply, childcare and education. Their knowledge and skills deserve as much respect as those of college and university graduates. Yet students in secondary vocational education have the idea that their diploma has less prestige and that further education is necessary to count.
This has to do with a belief that children acquire at an early age: the higher their education, the better. At primary school, there is continuous testing and an invisible dividing line is created between who can go to HAVO or VWO and who has to go to VMBO or practical education. The progression test in group 8, which will be taken again from this month, shows how early that pressure starts – and how decisive that first selection can be for the rest of the educational career.
Fortunately, policymakers are making efforts to change the perception that theoretical education is better than practical. For example, MBO students have been legally called ‘students’ for several years now, although colloquially they are still often mistakenly called ‘pupils’. The plea from former Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf (D66) to view education not as a ladder to higher and higher levels, but as a range of equivalent routes, was also a step forward. Just like his call for HAVO and VWO students not to rule out MBO as a further education in advance.
A sign of increased self-confidence in secondary vocational education is the rise of practorates: under the leadership of a practor, teachers, students and companies work together on practice-oriented research into, among other things, equal opportunities, technology, sustainability and care. There are now almost 160 practicum positions. In this way, MBO shows that it not only educates, but also innovates.
MBO graduates have been legally called ‘students’ for several years now,
although colloquially they are still often mistakenly referred to as ‘learners’
There are more bright spots. While introductory weeks at the start of the academic year were previously reserved for HBO and WO students, MBO students have been welcome more often in recent years, although it sometimes remains just one joint day. Where they are not allowed to participate, such as in Rotterdam, vocational schools organize their own introductory period. MBO students were invited for the first time to the traditional Student Debate on the eve of the House of Representatives elections in October. It is also nice that the Ministry of Education will have ten trainee positions for MBO graduates from February. Such a program already existed for HBO and WO graduates.
Despite these steps, true equality is still far away. Some student sports associations open their facilities to MBO students, but student houses and student associations usually remain closed to them.
Finding an internship is also still a problem for MBO students. One in ten experiences discrimination during their search because of appearance, skin color, origin or religion. In addition, unlike HBO and WO students, MBO students often do not receive an internship allowance. Education Minister Gouke Moes (BBB) played a disappointing role in that respect last year: he promised to arrange this, but retraced his steps. Fortunately, the House of Representatives passed a motion that urged the cabinet to take action on this.
Let 2026 be the year in which all the nice words about a revaluation of secondary vocational education are translated into action: give children the feeling that practical knowledge counts as much as theoretical knowledge, ensure fair internship compensation and give secondary vocational education students a full place in student life.
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