Students: Re-launch subsidies to boost higher education enrollment

Student and youth organizations called on Education Minister Jet Bussemaker to reverse the loan system and reinstate the basic grant to boost enrollment for higher education, in a letter sent to her on Friday. If the government is unwilling to do so, the organizations call on her to implement measures against the growing inequality in higher educationStudent and youth organizations called on Education Minister Jet Bussemaker to reverse the loan system and reinstate the basic grant to boost enrollment for higher education, in a letter sent to her on Friday. If the government is unwilling to do so, the organizations call on her to implement measures against the growing inequality in higher education, ANP reports

The letter is signed by FNV Jong, national students union LSVb and the national action committee for pupils LAX, among others.

"The minister recognizes the problem to some extend but does nothing. It is imperative that action is taken to ensure that education is accessible to everyone", LSVb chairman Stefan Wirken wrote in the letter.

One of the measures the organizations suggest to reduce inequality, is increasing the supplementary grant - the scholarship for students whose parents have a low income.

According to the organizations, the fact that the differences in educational opportunities are increasing, can be seen in the recently published report that showed a sharp decrease in the number of students going directly to university from high school.