Education in the Netherlands

The education system in the Netherlands provides for compulsory education from 4 to 18 years, of which the school must be at least until the age of 16. In practice, however, the courts freed after extended procedures have frequently single parents from compulsory school attendance of their children, who instead get home schooling or unschooling.

The children in the Netherlands are enrolled usually with five years of primary school ( " basic school" ). At the request of parents, enrollment can be brought forward by one year. This happens very often in practice.

All types of school complete with a knowledge test. This consists of an in-school part and the central state final examination, which is the same for all students in each school type.

History

One of the biggest reforms in the history of the Dutch school system is the " Mammoetwet " of 1968 have been, who laid the foundations for the current system. On 1 August 1985, the Reformed Dutch school system came into force. Since preschool are ( Kleuterschool ) and former primary school ( school encamped ) in a common base type of school (basic school ) combined or integrated. Even children between four and five years visit here the first class.

General

One important difference to the school system in Germany is historically rooted. Since everyone is free in the Netherlands, because of his religion or based on specific pedagogical principles, own - but funded by the state - to establish schools, it is not surprising that two-thirds of all students attend a private school. Most schools are either publicly ( " openbaar " ), Catholic or Protestant, although the Netherlands is one of the most entkonfessionalisierten countries in the world. Support the " non-public " schools are foundations in the rule.

The choice of teaching methods is up to the schools. The contents, however, are formulated in state guidelines and mandatory for all schools. Whether students are in the specific performance requirements, is checked by national, state tests. This also applies to schools which are attended by minorities. Since the mid- 1980s, parents can send their children to Islamic or Hindu about elementary schools.

Next can choose parents if they send their children to a Kategorialschule where only one type of school is true, or opt for a school community. This is home to several types of schools. The schools in the Netherlands are generally not comprehensive schools, at most " cooperative comprehensive schools " with several types of schools under one roof. Since the late 1990s, many schools for reasons of cost ( savings of school leaders ) are fused together.

Primary school

Unlike in neighboring Germany comprises the Dutch primary school (basic school ) eight classes, which are referred to herein as groepen. Groep 1 is the four- year-olds and groep 8 usually the twelve year olds. This groepen therefore overlap with both the German kindergarten as well as secondary school. Lessons from 4 to 5 years of age ( groep 1-2) can be compared with the content in German kindergarten. However, he is going on generally integrated into the primary school curriculum. From the groep 3 children begin to learn reading, writing and arithmetic. In the last two base years, students start with the English classes, additional foreign languages ​​are offered only in school experiments.

In the last year of primary school they leave from a central test that is ( called Cito ) by the Central Institute for Test Development developed and evaluated later. With the entrance of the 8th grade year, a preliminary examination is held ( entreetoets ), with the result of a preparation for the actual test ( Eindtoets ) is possible. Unlike in Germany, where only the opinion of a primary school educators lies in the choice of a secondary school to reason, in the Netherlands is based on the Cito - result and an opinion by the elementary school, created by the class teachers of the last school year, and a non-teaching companion a binding recommendation whom a number of may be waived only in justified exceptions. The application to secondary school takes place in the primary school, which is sufficient by the Recommendation and test results directly to the secondary school.

The schedule looks in the first two groups of 22 lessons per week, in the following years, at least 25 Lessons usually take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 bis 15:15 clock clock ( with school-specific variants) instead of a lunch break is integrated therein. Wednesdays and Fridays are the lessons shorter.

Some schools differ from the rules set out from, for example, quite widespread Waldorf schools ( vrije school ) speak of preschool ( Kleuterschool ) and classes (classified ) instead groepen. Both English, French and German is here already from the first class ( groep accordingly 3) to inform ( in a playful way ).

Secondary Schools

Following the primary school to secondary school for pupils aged between 12 and 18 years follows. Secondary education can be completed in the following facilities:

• Institutions of the " pre-university education" ( vwo )
• Institutions of general secondary education ( havo ) and
• Institutions of secondary vocational education ( vmbo ).

The first year of secondary schools of all three forms is the so-called transition class ( " brugklas "). Its primary function of the orientation of the student on his future school career.

Vwo

The " pre-scientific " or " pre-university educational program " ( voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, vwo ) lasts for six years and has to prepare students for admission to a university to the destination. The issue of pre-university education takes place in three types of schools: the school, the Atheneum or the Lyceum. The difference between high school and Atheneum is the language sequence: the Gymnasium includes Latin and Greek teaching of the compulsory subjects - at the Atheneum not; in a secondary school is a combination between a high school and a Atheneum with a common initial year.

In the fourth and fifth year of school, the schools and Atheneen divided into four parts, the so-called profielen: Cultuur en Maatschappij (Politics ), Economie en Maatschappij ( Economy and Society ), Natuur en Gezondheid ( nature and health ) and Natuur en Techniek ( nature and technology ). There are obligated for all profiles subjects, such as Dutch and English, the profieldeel, the subjects belonging to the profile and some subjects that can choose the school itself. Cultuur en Maatschappij is set up on foreign languages, history and art; Economie en Maatschappij in history, economics as well as applied mathematics; Natuur en Gezondheid has biology, chemistry, mathematics and either geography or physics as an elective within the profile; Natuur en Techniek mathematics, chemistry and physics required. It runs from very language, the humanities, to very exact science. Each training course ends with a final examination.

Havo

The 5-year higher general education training course ( hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, havo ) is invested primarily designed to prepare students for a "higher " vocational training ( hoger beroepsonderwijs, hbo ). In fact, however, often put students who have reached the Havo degree, their schooling continues to achieve the Vwo degree. Other attend a vocational school ( mbo ), instead of entering into a "higher" training gear. Dutch translate into German Havo often with junior high school. In fact, the HAVO certificate is more similar to the German technical college, because it allows access to the 4-year education at a technical college.

In the third or fourth year Havo divided into four parts, called profielen: Cultuur en Maatschappij (Politics ), Economie en Maatschappij ( Economy and Society ), Natuur en Gezondheid ( nature and health ) and Natuur en Techniek ( Nature and Technology ). There are obligated for all profiles subjects, such as Dutch and English, the profieldeel, the subjects belonging to the profile and some subjects that can choose the school itself. Cultuur en Maatschappij is set up on foreign languages, history and art; Economie en Maatschappij in history, economics as well as applied mathematics; Natuur en Gezondheid has biology, chemistry, mathematics and either geography or physics as an elective within the profile; Natuur en Techniek mathematics, chemistry and physics required. It runs from very language, the humanities, to very exact science. Each training course ends with a final examination.

Vmbo

A few years ago the lower courses were put together:

• Medium general preparatory course ( middelbaar algemeen voorbereidend onderwijs, mavo ), about the Realschule comparable
• Lower training gear ( stock beroepsonderwijs, lbo ), later preparatory training gear ( vbo ), a kind of secondary school
• Individual training gear ( individueel voorbereidend beroepsonderwijs, IVBO ), more of a special school

The new, four-year pre-vocational secondary education ( voorbereidend middel beroepsonderwijs, vmbo ) is nevertheless still divided into a theoretical leerweg (Realschule) and a practical leerweg (Hauptschule). The Vmbo prepares students mainly found on the later vocational school ( middel beroepsonderwijs, mbo ). Many students with the Vmbo degree strive to Havo 's degree, while others run only through a job-oriented short course ( kmbo ) or take an apprenticeship in the dual system. The Vmbo absorbs around 60 percent of children of primary school.

Mbo

VET programs ( mbo ) prepare students for positions in middle management, industry and services. , Immediately following a job-oriented training course or a general course of education. They last more than four years. Students can choose between technical courses, courses in the areas of services, health, home economics, wholesale and retail trade and agriculture. The mandatory work experience at work characterizes this training.

Kmbo

Short vocational training courses ( kmbo ) were established in 1979 as a result of the then new training available. Kmbo courses prepare students for employment in simple fields of activity. They offered young people for 16 years from. To be admitted, students either a Lbo or a Mavo diploma must submit, or they have to prove a 10 -year-old full-time education. The courses are full-time courses and take two to three years. Practical work both inside and outside the schools form an important part of that training courses. Some parts of the courses are directly job-related, while others provide general education content.

In addition to full-time school-based VET programs are available in the Netherlands also include an apprenticeship in the " dual system ". On one or two days a week, the trainee receives vocational school, on other days it is formed during operation.

Universities

• See also: List of Universities in the Netherlands