How is education organized in the Netherlands? How long must children go to school? Who works in education and what rules must they follow? Are there rules for the school building? How does the school get money? Who checks if the school follows the rules? What about opening, merging, and closing schools?
In the Netherlands there is freedom of education. Public and special education exist side by side and have equal status. In some areas the population decreases, and schools notice fewer enrollments. Some schools have problems because of this and must close.
The officer for compulsory education oversees the law. Children aged 5 to 16 must attend school. After that, the qualification duty applies. In some cases there are exceptions or exemptions. Children aged 5 and older must follow education until they get a start qualification or turn 18. Under certain conditions, your child can go on holiday outside school holidays. You need permission from the school principal or the officer for compulsory education.
The education inspectorate watches the quality of education. The inspector considers signals from parents during investigations. Special trust inspectors also work there.