A secondary school transition test for equal chances.

A secondary school transition test for equal chances.

Primary school students take a secondary school transition test instead of a final test right after the school advice in group 8. There will be a fixed registration date for all children on April 1. These plans are in a bill by minister Slob.

Equal chances

An important goal of the plan is that all students get equal chances. No more hard assessment moments, but the same possibilities for everyone to reach another level. That ideal is already in the name of the test: a secondary school transition test instead of a final test.

By testing at several moments, minister Slob wants to prevent too much pressure on the final test. And parents rushing to arrange test trainings for their children. Inequality in chances plays a role. Highly educated parents with enough budget for tutoring can force a higher level for their children.

Start

The plans of Slob must start from the school year 2022-2023. Students then get the school advice from the teachers in January and after that take the secondary school transition test in February. On April 1, they must register at a new school. Students can now still register at different times, so children with an adjusted school advice do not always get into the desired school.

Criticism

There are certainly good points in the bill, but there are also criticisms. Because do the plans really lead to equal chances? By changing the name of the test, more chances in education do not automatically appear. Because even if testing is done at multiple moments, these remain assessment moments in fact.

Parents can give feedback on the bill until March 20 via internet consultation. After that, the law will be voted on in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Questions

If parents have questions about the final test they can look at the theme page on the Ouders & Onderwijs website or call our staff on weekdays at 088-6050101