Tackle radicalization at school: Education Sec.

Radicalization should be addressed in schools, State Secretary of Education Sander Dekker told Parliament Thursday. He made the declaration in his biennial safety monitoring report to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. The report shows that four percent of the schools say that religious extremism occurs with an average of 0.1 percent per location. Dekker states that after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, the theme has only become more topical. "Radicalized young people are a threat in and outside the school", says Dekker. In the government's plan, schools are supported in dealing with young people at risk of radicalization. Schools are told they should also pay attention to citizenship and clarify what free values mean. The report shows that a majority of the students and teachers feel safe in and around their schools. In primary schools, 94 percent of the staff and 97 percent of the students feel safe in school, and in secondary education the numbers are 89 and 94 percent respectively. Nevertheless, concerns about safety are relevant. Bullying students and staff, particularly gay bashing, is on the rise, as has the possession of weapons at school have increased considerably. The figures show that the government should continue its policy "unabridged" to reduce bullying at schools.