Education in the Netherlands- Testing, Tracking, and Results

When looking at the Dutch school system, there are some glaring differences between what takes place in the Netherlands and what takes place in America. However, while many educators have taken a look at high performing Finland for ideas, it should be noted that in the Netherlands the socioeconomic diversity is more in line with that of America. In addition, the Dutch are also high performers on the International PISA exam.

Today we introduce our readers to the complex Dutch system and its multitude of acronyms. Some of the major highlights include the fact that students begin school earlier than in America and upon completion of primary school are tested to determine the student’s suitability for academic or vocational secondary school options. Those secondary school options vary in number of years based on the academic demands and essentially act as preparation for several post-secondary options as well. Education is free right into some of the post-secondary school options.

It should first be noted that parents may send their children to the school of their choice, public or private. All schools in the Netherlands are legally required to publish a prospectus for parents setting out the school’s objectives and the results achieved. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science publishes a national education guide and the Education Inspectorate publishes school report cards.

Primary School
Until 1985, the Netherlands featured separate nursery, catering for 4 to 6-year-olds, and primary schools for 6 to 12-year-olds. That year, under the Primary Education Act of 1981 nursery and primary schools were merged into new-style primary schools that generally serve children ages 4 to 12.

Children are required to attend primary school at the age of five but most children begin at four. Because the primary education program is for a period of eight years, children who begin at four complete this phase of schooling as early as age 12.

At the completion of the eight year primary program, students have three potential paths for secondary school. Each of the programs is referred to by the acronym formed from the Dutch names for each program.

For admission to one of the three options students are assessed to establish their suitability. Most are tested in the final year of primary school with the National Institute for Educational Measurement (CITO) school leavers’ attainment test being used by over 80% of all Dutch primary schools (2006). Using the combination of the CITO test results and the educational performance, interests and motivation of the child, students are placed in one of the three secondary options.

Several Secondary Options
One secondary education program, the VMBO (Voorbereidend Middelbaar Beroeps Onderwijs), is essentially a pre-vocational option. The VMBO school structure is relatively new having been introduced in 1999 and actually reduced the overall number of secondary options available to students (replacing the former pre-vocational program, VBO, and the junior general secondary, MAVO, school program). The VMBO program is normally completed in four years and ends the current mandatory school years for students in that track. However, students are eligible to move directly into a senior secondary school vocational program (MBO) with both two and four year program options available. All students in the Netherlands at this level study Dutch, English and one additional language.

Another form of secondary programming option is the HAVO (Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs) which is a general secondary education option. The HAVO option is intended as preparation for higher professional education (HBO). This more rigorous academic track requires five years of study and students must take four languages, English, Dutch and two additional modern languages.

The third possibility is a pre-university education, called the VWO (Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs). This final option is designed to prepare students to attend a university. The VWO also requires the study of four languages and is more rigorous still, requiring six years of study for completion. However, the lower level option is always available to students earning a certificate so completion of the VWO program enables a student to attend the HBO should he or she choose. Within the VWO program there are also three distinct types of schools: the “atheneum”, the “gymnasium” (where Greek and Latin are compulsory) and the “lyceum” (a combination of “atheneum” and ” gymnasium”).

Many of the secondary schools are combined schools offering several of the secondary education paths in order for students to transfer easily from one type to another. Each of the three types of secondary education is distinguished between the lower years, where a focus is on acquiring and applying knowledge and skills through the delivery of an integrated curriculum, and the upper years (which vary in number depending on the path chosen).

In addition to the mainstream educational program available in primary and secondary schools, the Netherlands offers special (primary) education, learning support departments, and practical education for pupils requiring special care and support. After special (primary) education and (secondary) special education, some pupils move on to VMBO while many others remain outside the other secondary program options.

Funding Sources
Unlike America where school funding comes from three separate sources, federal, state, and local governments, the Dutch system monies come essentially from the federal equivalent.

In January of 2007, a new funding scheme was introduced to fund compensatory policy in secondary education. The new scheme features two distinct aspects.

The first aspect redistributes funds for compensatory education by providing extra funds for schools with at least 30% of their pupils coming from deprived neighborhoods or areas. Ethnicity is no longer the key factor for the extra funding – it is instead an accumulation of poverty related data.Schools are free to decide how they will spend these funds, though they have to consult with the municipal authorities on the matter at least once a year.

The second aspect of the funding scheme relates to the enrollment of newcomers to the educational system. Schools are provided extra money for every student who has been in the Netherlands for less than two years and is an alien under the definition of the Aliens Act. It should be noted that schools are free as to how to organize such students and can offer separate classes should they so choose.

Within the elementary setting the funding is formulaic with weighting factors utilized. It is interesting to see that a weighting of 0.3 is added if both parents’ highest level of education is junior secondary vocational education and 1.2 if one of the parents highest level of education attainment is primary education.

Drop Outs and School Completion Rates
In the Netherlands, compulsory education means earning a qualification. Beginning last August, all students younger than the age of 18 are now required to remain in school until they have obtained their basic qualification. In addition, young people between the ages of 18 and 23 who have not yet obtained a basic qualification (a HAVO, VWO or MBO level 2 certificate) are required to be involved in a program that combines study and work.

Currently 95 per cent of pupils exiting primary education move on to mainstream secondary education. In 2005, 70 out of every 100 pupils completing primary education went on to complete one of the basic qualifications. Of those 70, roughly 43% went on to graduate from higher education.

Today the percentage of 25-to-34-year-olds with no more than the VMBO qualification has dropped to 14 percent. By 2005, eight out of ten 25-to-34 year-olds possessed qualifications at MBO level or higher. Growing numbers of pupils are opting for HAVO/VWO secondary education and many transfer from MBO to HBO which has furthered the growth of higher education.

One very important highlight is the increase in the average level of education has been most clearly visible among the younger ages. Of students obtaining qualifications over the period from 2002 to 2006, the highest percentage of growth came in the university sector where the number of university graduates rose by almost 35 percent.

In addition, over the last few years, the proportion of certificate holders has increased in all the sectors. This may actually be the most important overall development as it means that an
increasing number of students leave school only after having earned a diploma.

Lessons for America
Given the socio-economic diversity, matched with the results of 15-year-olds on the most recent PISA exams (ninth best overall, eleventh in Reading, ninth in science and fifth in Mathematics), the Netherlands is clearly an educational system worthy of study by American officials.

Next we take an in depth look at secondary education and the vocational program options, as well as some of the post-secondary options, many that serve a wealth of children who struggle with rigorous academic expectations yet offer viable, in depth studies that prepare students for future work.