Special education graduates to also get a diploma

All pupils in secondary special education will soon also get a diploma at the end of their school career. Minister Arie Slob for Primary and Secondary Education wants to give these pupils more recognition and therefore submitted a bill to achieve it.

"All pupils deserve a reward at the end of high school", the Minister said in a statement. "That is why we are going to ensure that pupils in secondary special education now also receive a diploma." The expectation is that the first special education diplomas will be issued in the 2021/2022 school year.

A total of around 37,500 children in the Netherlands are currently following secondary special education. This is an education level for pupils who need specialist or intensive supervision. It largely concerns children with a disability, chronic illness or disorder. 

Some of the pupils in secondary special education do not take a final exam, because they cannot reach the level required for a diploma. Other pupils follow secondary vocational education, general secondary education, or pre-university education at a school for special education. These pupils already receive a diploma when they finish.