Students in Dutch schools are still encountering difficulties with essential literacy and numeracy skills. The Education in 2026 report emphasizes the ongoing problem of poor performance in these fundamental areas, calling on schools and school boards to improve the education system.
This year’s report from the Dutch Inspectorate of Education has revealed that students in Dutch schools have not improved in fundamental skills such as reading, language and arithmetic, even though these are crucial for participating in society. Additionally, there has been no progress in citizenship education scores. Dutch schools are legally required to provide citizenship education in both primary and secondary education to prepare children for democratic involvement.
The state of education
The quality of Dutch education is seen as a major factor in the low grades of Dutch schoolchildren, and the 2026 report urges school leaders to make improvements. ‘Good education emerges when school leaders and teachers keep a close eye on the quality of education and make adjustments where necessary,’ says the Inspector-General of Education, Alida Oppers.
She continues: ‘Too many school leaders do not devote sufficient time to these tasks. This calls for administrative attention, clear choices and sustained focus.’ The report also emphasizes that overburdened school leaders and managers often lack the time to focus on their core tasks.
The report also brought another problem to light: regional differences in the availability of a full educational pathway. The unequal distribution impacts students’ ability to enter the labour market or pursue further education after school, and leads to unequal opportunities, as these depend on where they live.
Causes of decline
Authorities such as the Dutch Master Plan for Basic Skills by the ministry of Education, Culture and Science have also identified other potential causes for the country’s educational challenges. They include an excessive workload of school assignments, an outdated curriculum, and a disconnect between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
In the broader context of daily life, experts, including Eurydice – a network comprising 43 European national units that offers data and analyses on European education systems – highlight the growing impact of technology and digitalisation. They also note a decrease in reading and writing activities outside of school hours as contributing factors.
Persistent decline
The issue is longstanding, with AD newspaper reporting that ‘years of warnings have had no impact’. RTL Nieuws also underscores the persistent challenges in Dutch education, noting that ‘these issues continue despite years of warnings and efforts by schools’.
International media reports further indicate a widespread decline in fundamental skills among schoolchildren, extending beyond the Netherlands. Al Jazeera reported an ‘unprecedented decline in global literacy scores’ in 2023, supported by global studies such as the OECD’s PISA study, which underscores a systemic trend of decreasing scores worldwide.
Nonetheless, reports also demonstrate that the Netherlands is facing unique systemic challenges, such as the regional disparities in educational offerings. Additionally, the Dutch teachers’ union AOb highlights that the reading skills of Dutch fifteen-year-olds are deteriorating at an accelerated rate, emphasising that the country ranks among the lowest-scoring nations in Europe in the most recent PISA study.
Future
The Dutch Inspectorate of Education publishes its State of Education report annually, assessing the quality of educational institutions. It advises schools and governing bodies to consider these findings in their specific contexts and implement necessary measures, including additional supervision if required. Since the Inspectorate’s inception in 1801, when the Dutch government assumed responsibility for ensuring quality education, much has evolved.
Inspector-General Oppers has noted that Dutch education has evolved from a 19th-century ‘privilege’ and the 20th-century focus on compulsory education to seeing education as a fundamental right for children. However, she also emphasizes the current challenges the sector faces. While the aim to maximise individual potential is admirable, it places substantial performance pressure on teachers, school leaders and students, she asserts.
Written by Femke van Iperen