Call to politics: make tailored education really tailored.

Call to politics: make tailored education really tailored.

Twelve years after the introduction of the law tailored education, little has improved for many children. This emerges from the Monitor Tailored Education 2026, which Ouders & Onderwijs presented earlier this week to members of the House of Representatives. Of the 342 surveyed parents, as many as 71 percent rate the current system as insufficient – an average of 4.2. Two thirds experience little to no improvement compared to four years ago; a third even find that it has gotten worse.

Insufficient support

The monitor also shows other worrying signals. The majority of parents are dissatisfied with the support in the classroom and find that teachers get too little help to guide children well. They also see large classes as an obstacle to making education tailored. Rules around involving parents in the development perspective plan are still much too often not followed. There are also cautious positive signals: 54 percent are satisfied with daily contact with school, and the familiarity with parent and youth support points is increasing rapidly.

Urgent call to the House of Representatives

In a joint letter to the permanent committee on Education, Culture and Science, 22 parent and student organizations ask the House to take action for children now and in the future. Our call consists of three parts:

• Strengthen and enforce the duty of care
• Move from compulsory education to the right to education
• Work purposefully towards inclusive education in 2035

Strengthen the duty of care

Parents regularly report that schools avoid the duty of care or refuse children already at the school gate. Schools must take more responsibility. The organizations advocate transparency in admission procedures and stricter supervision by the education inspectorate.

From compulsory education to the right to education

The current system focuses on the obligation to attend, while the right to tailored education should be decisive. The organizations call for a bill that legally establishes the right to learn for every child.

Inclusive education in 2035

The coalition agreement sets 2035 as the final goal, but a concrete plan is missing. The organizations ask for a four-year plan with milestones for housing, teacher training, legislation, supervision, and funding.

Experiences with tailored education

With the letter, we included real situations of parents and students on behalf of the various organizations. To make it extra clear why change is needed.

The letter is signed by 22 organizations: Ouders & Onderwijs, LAKS, Ieder(In), JongPIT, Parent Association Balans, FODOK, LBVSO, For working parents, Reformed Parent Association, MIND, Per Saldo, Association Public Education, Foundation IQ+, Foundation Carefree to school, Dutch Association for Autism, OCO Amsterdam, Mama Vita, Foundation the Disabled Child, Interest Association Intensive Childcare, Advisory Council Eigenwijsheid, Voice of the VSO pupil, Together Proud

Questions or personal advice?

Do you have questions about tailored education, do you want advice about your situation or just a listening ear? Then contact us at 088-6050101, mail to vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or WhatsApp us. Or read the information on our special topic page about tailored education.