This chapter provides a thematic and chronological overview of national reforms and policy developments since 2024, including recent developments up to 2026. The introduction of the chapter describes the overall education strategy and the key objectives across the whole education system. It also looks at how the education reform process is organised and who are the main actors in the decision-making process.

Overall national education strategy and key objectives

One of the key features of the Dutch education system, guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution, is freedom of education. This remains unchanged.

However, in recent years (2024–2026), there has been a stronger emphasis on balancing this freedom with accountability and quality assurance, particularly in response to declining student performance (e.g. international assessments such as PISA).

 policy priorities (2025–2026)

Strengthening the basics

The government has intensified its focus on basic skills (literacy, numeracy and digital skills):

• Implementation of a national Master Plan Basic Skills (Basisvaardigheden) 
• Additional funding for schools with lagging performance 
• More explicit curriculum goals and monitoring by the Inspectorate 
• Increased use of evidence-based teaching methods 

Increasing equality

Recent updates include:

• Further expansion of childcare subsidies, moving towards a near-universal system (up to ~95% reimbursement) 
• Continued investment in “rijke schooldag” (extended school day programmes) 
• Strengthening early childhood education (VVE), especially for children with language disadvantages 
• More attention to segregation in education and equal opportunities across regions 

There is also growing policy attention to tackling teacher shortages in disadvantaged areas, as inequality is increasingly linked to staffing issues.

Teachers and school leaders

Teacher shortages have become one of the most urgent issues (2025–2026). New measures include:

• Structural salary increases, especially in primary education 
• Incentives for working in high-need regions (e.g. Randstad) 
• Expansion of alternative teacher training routes (zij-instroom) 
• Increased investment in reducing workload 
• Greater focus on teacher retention rather than only recruitment 

Digital tools are increasingly used, but policy now emphasises that technology should support—not replace—teachers.

Vocational education (MBO)

Key updates:

• Stronger focus on labour market shortages (technical and healthcare sectors) 
• Continued efforts to guarantee internships for all students 
• Stricter measures against internship discrimination 
• Increased collaboration between schools, municipalities, and employers 

Higher education

Recent developments (2025–2026):

• Continued implementation of the reintroduced basic grant 
• Growing political debate on international student inflow and English-language programmes 
• Policy measures to limit student numbers in certain programmes 
• Increased attention to student wellbeing and mental health 
• More focus on aligning education with labour market needs 

Social safety and inclusion

Policy has been strengthened with:

• Expanded responsibilities for the Inspectorate of Education regarding social safety complaints 
• Increased attention to discrimination, inclusion, and equal treatment 
• Measures to address undesirable influence from anti-democratic or anti-integrative institutions 

Governance and reform process (updated)

The governance structure remains largely the same, but recent trends include:

• Stronger central steering on educational quality 
• Increased use of data, monitoring and inspections  
• More collaboration between ministries (Education, Economic Affairs, Health) 
• Growing role of municipalities in tackling inequality and youth support 

There is also a shift towards long-term structural investments, particularly:

• €1 billion annually for improving quality 
• €1 billion annually for equality of opportunity 
• Additional funding for teacher workforce policies