The voluntary parental contribution.

Many high schools and primary schools ask parents for a financial contribution every year. For example, for a school trip, Christmas celebration, or bilingual education. But how voluntary is this contribution? What can the school ask a contribution for? And what happens if you do not pay? We explain this in this article.

Not paid? Your child can still join

The law says the voluntary parent contribution is really voluntary. This means parents can decide if they want to pay. If you don’t pay, your child can still join. Both primary and high schools cannot exclude any child from activities that the school organizes. Even if the parent contribution is not paid. Children should not be excluded from activities that are not part of the mandatory curriculum.
If many parents do not pay, this can affect the activities. Less money means fewer activities or the school chooses cheaper options.

Amount of voluntary parent contribution 

The school guide shows how much the voluntary parent contribution is, what it is used for, and that it is voluntary. The amount can differ per school. Each school decides this itself, together with parents in the school participation council. In primary school most parents pay a few tens of euros per year. In high school the costs often rise faster.  

Payment of parent contribution 

The way parents pay the contribution varies a lot. Some schools ask a fixed amount per year and other schools ask parents per activity. The parent contribution is sometimes billed in advance and sometimes afterward. Sometimes the parent contribution is collected by the parent council and sometimes by the school itself. Many schools ask parents to pay by direct debit. Some schools even ask parents to sign a contract promising to pay the parent contribution. You never have to sign this contract. Parents sometimes feel pressure to pay the voluntary parent contribution. But remember: you really do not have to pay the voluntary parent contribution. You can always ask your questions to Ouders & Onderwijs. 

Who pays which school costs? 

Besides the voluntary parent contribution, there are other school costs. Some of these must be paid by the school, like books. Some costs are for parents, like atlases, calculators, and sports clothing. To make clear which costs can and cannot be asked from parents, the school costs are divided into four categories: costs for school, costs for parents, costs for digital learning tools, and the voluntary parent contribution.