Political Framework

The Netherlands has a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance aim to achieve broad consensus on important issues, within both the political community and society as a whole.

Major political institutions are the monarchy, the cabinet, the parliament and the judicial system. There are three other high colleges of state, which stand on an equal footing with parliament but have a less political role, of which the Council of State is the most important. Other levels of government are the municipalities, the water boards and the provinces. Political parties and the social partners are organized in the Social Economic Council and are important political institutions as well.

Education policy is coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. This ministry has one minister and two state secretaries.

Compulsory education in the Netherlands starts at the age of five, although in practice, most children at the age of four attend school. There is a partial compulsory education from the age of sixteen, which means that a pupil must attend some form of education for at least two days a week. Compulsory education ends for pupils at the age of eighteen.

There are public, special (religious), and private schools. The first two are financed by the government and officially free of charge. Most schools however ask for a parental contribution. Special schools should not be confused with special needs schools.

Public schools are controlled by local governments. Special schools are controlled by a school board. Most of the special schools are based on a particular religion e.g. Catholic or Protestant. There are some Muslim and Jewish schools as well. There is little difference between special schools and public schools, except in some traditionally religious areas. Private schools do not receive financial support from the government. A considerable number of financed public schools are based on a particular educational philosophy, for instance the Montessori Method, Pestalozzi Plan, Dalton Plan or Jena Plan. Most of these are public schools, but some special schools are based as well on any of these educational philosophies.

All school types (public, special and private) are under the jurisdiction of a government body called “Onderwijsinspectie” (Education Inspection) and can be required to make changes in educational policy or risk closure.