KNM 8: Onderwijs en opvoeding

Education and raising children. This theme is about the Dutch school system from birth to 18, what schools expect from parents, and help with school costs and raising children.

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Study notes

From childcare to secondary school

Before 4 there is childcare and early education (voorschoolse educatie, vve). The municipality can tell you what is offered and what it costs.
Children may start primary school (basisschool) at 4. Compulsory education (leerplicht) starts on the first day of the month after the fifth birthday.
After primary school, pupils go to secondary school: vmbo (4 years, preparing for mbo), havo (5 years, preparing for hbo) or vwo (6 years, preparing for university). The primary school's advice decides the level.
There is education for pupils who need special care, and moving to further education can have entry requirements.
There is freedom of education: besides public schools (openbare scholen) there are special schools (bijzondere scholen) based on a religion, belief or a view on education.
Schools must teach about sexuality and sexual diversity, in primary and secondary school.

Compulsory education

Children from 5 to 16 must go to school (leerplicht). From 16 to 18 they must keep learning until they have a basic qualification (kwalificatieplicht).
The school vacations are binding. A trip outside them is only allowed with permission from the school director, for example because your work makes every school vacation impossible, and never in the first 2 weeks after the summer vacation. Otherwise you can be fined.
The leerplichtambtenaar (school attendance officer) of the municipality checks this.

Parents and school

Parents are legally liable for what their children do until the age of 16.
Schools expect parents to be involved. There are regular talks between teachers and parents about the child's progress, and parents can volunteer for school activities.
For problems with raising children, at home or at school, help is available from the municipality, youth care, the huisarts or the school. The Raad voor de Kinderbescherming (child protection board) can step in, but involves a judge only when there are serious signals.

Costs and support

Primary school charges no tuition fee. A school may ask a voluntary parental contribution (vrijwillige ouderbijdrage); a child may not be left out of activities if you do not pay it.
Education can cost money for books, travel or a school trip. There are schemes that pay part or all of school, study, care or childcare costs, and you can ask the school to reduce some costs.
Students apply to DUO for student finance (studiefinanciering) or a contribution to study costs.

Words to know

Dutch terms in this theme
Dutch	English
de basisschool	primary school
de middelbare school	secondary school
de leerplicht	compulsory education
de leerplichtambtenaar	school attendance officer
het schooladvies	school advice for secondary level
de ouderbijdrage	parental contribution
de kinderopvang	childcare
de buitenschoolse opvang (bso)	after-school care
de studiefinanciering	student finance

Official sources

Rules and amounts change: your letter from DUO and Mijn Inburgering always win.

Checked on October 19, 2026.