Dutch Secondary School Options – A Model for the US?

In the third of our four part series discussing education in the Netherlands we take a look at the secondary school options available to students. In using the term options, we do not mean strictly a choice of which type of programming to attend. Instead, the option is determined by school performance at the elementary level, the advice of the primary school officials and the student score on the CITO test. Based on those three factors, students are assigned to one of the three secondary school options, the VMBO, HAVO, or VWO.

The fact that school delineation is not a result of parental choice does not set well with all families. In particular, a fair criticism is the fact that students as young as 12 will have an educational path laid out for them, a path that is not easy to change in later years. That said, the criteria used is objective so others would counter that providing such direction for students is in fact the best method for ensuring secondary school success.

Secondary School Generalities
Regardless of the secondary school assignment, the first year of three different school options is referred to as the brugklas (bridge class) – in essence it is to connect students from the elementary school system to the secondary education system. During this first year, one key programming aspect is that students work towards increased personal responsibility.

In secondary schools, there is a breaking of curriculum between the lower years and the upper years. Within the lower years, the emphasis is on applying knowledge and skills and features an integrated curriculum. Students have required attainment targets to reach during this period. What is interesting to note is that this basic period lasts for two years in VMBO (pre-vocational schools) and for three years of HAVO and VWO (college preparatory programs).

The upper years of secondary school can also be two years in length at VMBO (the third and fourth years of that program), two years in length for HAVO (the fourth and fifth years), and three years in length at VWO (years four, five and six). In both of the college preparatory options, the ‘studiehuis’ approach to teaching is utilized during the upper secondary school years. The technique provides an emphasis on developing greater autonomy in students and is designed to ensure a smooth transition to higher education.

College Preparatory Programs
There are two secondary school programs that provide education for the purposes of attending college. The two options are HAVO (Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs) and VWO (Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs). These two programming options vary in length, the HAVO consisting of five years of study while the VWO requires six years of academics.

Because of differentiation within universities, pre-college preparation also varies. To be granted acceptance at a research university (WO), students must earn the VWO diploma. For those universities focused on the applied sciences (HBO), the minimum requirement is the HAVO diploma.

In both programs, for the first three years all students take the same subjects: languages, mathematics, history, arts and sciences. During their third year, students must choose a specific cluster that creates a study specialty. Once in that cluster, students must take Dutch and one foreign language. Mathematics is also compulsory in the latter years though the level of difficulty differs for each profile.

As we noted earlier, the last two years of HAVO and the last three years of VWO are considered the upper years of secondary school. This period is referred to as the tweede fase (literally, second phase) and represents the time when students focus on one of the four subject clusters during that period. Each cluster consists of two aspects, an emphasis on a certain field of study as well as the completion of specific general education requirements. The four subject clusters are: Science and Technology (Natuur en Techniek); Science and Health (Natuur en Gezondheid); Economics and Society (Economie en Maatschappij); and Culture and Society (Cultuur en Maatschappij).

The VWO program is more rigorous and is divided into Atheneum, Gymnasium, and Lyceum. The Atheneum is very similar as a program to the HAVO route, but the difficulty level is greater and of course the program lasts for three years instead of two. The Gymnasium adds the study of Latin and Greek to the Atheneum program while the Lyceum offers additional subjects such as philosophy, additional foreign languages and courses in scientific research.

These two college preparation programs clearly present more in the way of rigor than the traditional American high school has to offer. Though longer in term than American schools, because of the structure, the first year of secondary school would be equivalent to the eighth grade in America, so only the VWO program creates a longer pre-college educational path.

Pre-Vocational Preparation
One of the most positive aspects of the Dutch system is the VMBO option. The program is a direct recognition that not only do academic talents vary, interests and aspirations vary as well.

In simple terms, the VMBO (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs) consists of a “preparatory middle-level vocational education.” This four year program features a combination of vocational training mixed with some of the traditional academic studies including languages, mathematics, history, arts and sciences.

This pre-vocational school option has four distinct levels of programming available. Selection to one or another will either allow for other options later or limit future options entirely.

The first path is referred to as the theoretical learning path (Theoretische leerweg). TL is the path that prepares students for middle management type positions and the vocational training necessary for post-secondary vocational education program, the MBO. Students who complete this path also may choose to enter HAVO later should they choose to do so (more on that later).

The second option is referred to as the management program path (Kaderberoepsgerichte Leerweg). KL is the path that focuses on the teaching of theoretical education and vocational training in equal components. As with the TL program, students are prepared for middle management type careers and for entrance to MBO.

The third option is called the combined program (Gemengde leerweg). The GL learning path is in between the theoretical and the management option.

The fourth and final path is called the basic vocational program (Basisberoepsgerichte Leerwe). The BL is a basic profession-oriented learning path that has a primary emphasis on vocational training and preparation for the MBO as well.

A grasp of the differences in these types of programs can be elusive but in our fifth and final post we will take a detailed look at one MBO school. Only when one sees the delineation in the post-secondary option will the VMBO options become clear.

But as a quick nuance, it is important to realize that within the vocational model there are schooling options for students who may simply want to become skilled laborers as well as others who may want to learn to design and use those skills within the trade also. In addition, there is a recognition that there are still others who might want to occupy management level positions within a skilled trade and even a fourth group, those who aspire to own their operation one day.

It is interesting to note that more than half of the Dutch secondary school students enter this program. This of course represents an incredible contrast to our American school system and our current push towards college-readiness for all students.

The Dutch instead recognize the varied academic abilities that exist within children and provide an educational path for postsecondary school in the skilled trades as well as in academics. VMBO is not a terminal education path, it is instead intended as a foundation course providing general academics and a pre-vocational component.

Some Flexibility Does Exist
The one drawback to the process, the decision to place a 12-year-old in a specific educational track, is not as negative as it is made out to be. It is possible for students who obtain their VMBO diploma to attend two years of HAVO and sit for the HAVO-exam.

In addition, students with a HAVO diploma may attend two years of VWO and sit for the VWO exam. So, although students are in essence tracked based on performance and test results, it is always possible to acquire to the higher level diploma if students are willing to put in the extra time necessary.

Most importantly, we return to the results we noted earlier for the Netherlands and the scores of 15-year-olds on the PISA. As the ninth best performing country in the world, the Netherlands and the secondary school model being utilized is clearly producing superb results in the midst of a country that does feature enormous socio-economic differences amongst its people.

Note: In our final article, we will take a look at the post-secondary vocational school option with an in depth look at Hout-en Meubileringscollege.