Netherlands

Constitutional Provisions: One of the key features of the Dutch education system is freedom of education, guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution. Freedom of education includes the freedom to found schools, to organize the teaching in schools, and to determine the principles on which the schools are based. This means that different groups in society have the right to found schools on the basis of their own religious, ideological or educational beliefs. Schools in the Netherlands, therefore, differ markedly from each other due to their differences in religion or educational philosophy.

Laws Affecting Education: Numerous Acts of Parliament govern education in the Netherlands. Some of the most important and recent acts are the Primary Education Act of 1998, the Expertise Centers Act, the Secondary Education Act, the Adult and Vocational Education Act, the Higher Education and Research Act, the Recognized Educational Institutions Act, the Student Finance Act, the Study Costs Allowances Act, the Compulsory Education Act of 1969, the National Education Support Activities (Subsidies) Act, and the Education Participation Act of 1992.

Educational Philosophies: Freedom of choice is central to Dutch life and education, as well as the spirit of humanism. The Netherlands has long been a country of tolerance of diversity in religion, education, and social life. Strong groups of liberals, socialists and conservatives have always co-existed, but the prevailing atmosphere has been progressive in terms of education, culture and society.