Budget day: billions for basic skills, equal opportunities and basic grant.

Budget day: billions for basic skills, equal opportunities and basic grant.

The king spoke the speech from the throne today during budget day, where the government presented its budget for 2023. Plans for education are also included in the budget memorandum. Many of these plans were already known and agreed on in the coalition agreement. Because this is the first budget of the new cabinet, the plans are now included in the budget.

For example, the extra investments for equal opportunities, strengthening basic skills and closing the pay gap between primary and secondary education teachers are presented in this budget. In total, it concerns 3.3 billion euros for this period. Of this, 1 billion euros goes to equal opportunities and 1 billion euros to improving students’ reading and math skills. Another 1.3 billion euros is set aside for closing the wage gap between primary and secondary education and reducing workload. 

Still, there is news: there will be an inflation correction for the basic grant, which must take effect from the 2022/2023 academic year. For this, a one-time 500 million euros is allocated, which amounts to about 165 euros per month for out-of-town mbo students. 

The budget memorandum and budget from the Ministry of OCW can be read here.