Overview of Education System

One of the key features of the Dutch education system is freedom of education, which is guaranteed by Article 23 of the Constitution. Each resident of the Netherlands has the right to establish a school; determine the educational, religious, or ideological principles on which the school is based; and organize instruction in that school.5 Dutch schools, then, have significant autonomy.

The Dutch education system comprises several levels of responsibility: national government, provincial and municipal authorities, school boards, and school principals. The Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science sets the regulatory and legislative framework for educational provision while also structuring and funding the system.6 Provincial and municipal authorities have jurisdiction over the education provided in their province or town.

Public schools are run by the municipal authorities or by a governing committee appointed by the municipality for this purpose. However, most children attend private schools that are founded on specific religious or pedagogical beliefs. Indeed, two-thirds of primary schools are privately run. The majority of private schools are Roman Catholic or Protestant, but the Netherlands has other religious schools and schools based on philosophical principles (e.g., Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and humanist schools), as well as nondenominational schools. The pedagogical approach of some schools is based on the ideas of educational reformers such as Maria Montessori, Helen Parkhurst, Peter Petersen, Célestin Freinet, and Rudolf Steiner. All schools have a school board, which is the legally recognized authority. Each school board administers and manages the schools for which it is responsible. School boards have autonomy with regard to the curriculum, budget allocations, in‑service teacher education, and school policies (e.g., disciplinary actions and parental involvement). The principal handles the school’s day to day management.7

The Dutch Inspectorate for Education monitors the quality of education and schools by visiting schools periodically (at least once every four years) to observe compliance with statutory regulations, reporting its findings to the Ministry of Education and the individual schools.8 These reports are publicly available. Schools that do not reach the expected quality of education are placed under close supervision, are visited more frequently, and receive additional support and funding to help them to raise the level of education provided.

Parents in the Netherlands can choose from a range of public and private schools, both of which are government funded. Education is free for all students up to the age of 16, although most schools ask for a voluntary parental contribution for additional services such as class outings and school trips. Unlike public schools, which must admit all students, private schools may impose criteria for admission. In practice, however, most private schools pursue nonrestrictive admission policies.

Structure of the Education System

The education system in the Netherlands is separated into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary. The Netherlands has no provision for formal education for children under age 4.

In the Netherlands, the same school offers preprimary education (kindergarten) and primary education. Most children start primary school at age 4, although compulsory schooling does not start until age 5. Preprimary and primary education together consist of eight grades, so most children enter secondary education at age 12.

Secondary education in the Netherlands involves tracking with separate schools for different age groups. As of the 2014–2015 school year, all students in the final year of primary school are required to participate in a final test that aims to determine the most appropriate secondary school track for each student.9 These tests are subject to approval by the Dutch government. About 86 percent of students in the final year of secondary education participate in the Cito test (Cito-toets), which consists of two compulsory components, Dutch language and mathematics.10 World orientation (e.g., knowledge of history, science, and geography) is offered as an optional part of the tests. In addition to the results of these tests, recommendations from classroom teachers are considered when determining the most appropriate secondary school track for each student.

Most secondary schools in the Netherlands offer more than one track. Students in those schools enroll in one of the following three tracks after one or two years of basic education:

  • Prevocational secondary education—This track, which lasts for two years, offers basic vocational, middle management vocational, combined vocational and theoretical, and theoretical learning pathways. After completing prevocational secondary education, students may continue on to vocational secondary education or senior general secondary education.
  • Senior general secondary education—This track, which lasts for five years, offers general secondary education in Science and Technology, Science and Health, Culture and Society, and Economics and Society. Upon completion of one of these programs, students can continue on to an additional preuniversity secondary education program or a higher vocational education program.
  • Preuniversity secondary education—This track, which lasts for six years, offers the same four programs as senior general secondary education. After completing a program, students may continue on to higher education in a three year bachelor’s degree program at a university.

Tertiary or higher education is divided into two types of programs: higher vocational education programs and bachelor’s degree programs. Higher vocational education programs lead to a four year bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s degree programs lead to a three year bachelor’s degree, after which a master’s degree can be earned in one to three years.