State of the education 2026: 1 in 5 schools insufficient.

State of the education 2026: 1 in 5 schools insufficient.

The staat van het onderwijs 2026 shows that Dutch education is under pressure. Many things go well, but there are also clear concerns. These affect students and parents directly.

Most schools sufficient, but 1 in 5 is not 

The inspection rated 82% of schools as sufficient. That sounds positive, but it also means that almost 1 in 5 schools (18%) scores insufficient. 

There are also differences between the schools: 

• Primary education: 85% sufficient 
• Special education: 81% sufficient 
• Secondary education: 77% sufficient 

Many schools need to improve 

A large group of schools receives recovery assignments from the inspection. In foundational education, this concerns about 73% to 90% of schools that need to improve on one or more points. That shows that “sufficient” does not always mean that everything is going well. 

Basic skills and inequality of opportunity and high work pressure 

Progress in language and math is limited. Especially in secondary education, improvements do not occur. 

The inspection also sees clear differences between regions and groups of students. For example, children in less advantaged neighborhoods less often receive a higher school recommendation, even if they are capable of it. 

It is also noticeable that due to staff shortages and high work pressure, school leaders do not have enough time for their main task: improving education.