The Netherlands Department of Education, Culture and Science is to stop branding schools which are highly praised by school inspectors as ‘excellent’, after MPs voted in favour of a motion to scrap the concept.
The system was introduced in 2012 in an effort to stimulate schools to excel with an “inspiring, innovative and motivating educational program, or which take a standout approach to a specific group of pupils”.
It allowed schools which had been labelled as ‘good’ by inspectors to apply to describe themselves as ‘excellent’, a request which was then looked at by an independent panel.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dennis Wiersma said it had been decided that the branding program risked exacerbating differences between schools and could simulate undesirable competition between them.
“Every child has a right to a good education which is why I want to stimulate all schools to rise above the minimum standard,” Mr Wiersma (pictured) said.
He told MPs the Department was now looking into new methods to achieve this.
In the meantime, the last ‘excellent’ school certificates are to be handed out in June and will remain valid for three years as the Minister said he wanted to recognise the work of both the schools and the independent panel.
A total of 51 schools have applied to be recognised as excellent this year. Last year, 43 schools were given the title.
The Hague, 25 April 2023
