Vocational education wants to ditch terms like "low-education level"
Secondary vocational education (MBO) aims to eliminate terms like “education level” and “poorly-educated,” Trouw reported on Tuesday. MBO representatives presented on Wednesday a manifesto for appreciative language to outgoing Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf.
They argue that terms currently used in the Dutch education system, such as “poorly-educated” (laagopgeleid) and “educational level” (onderwijsniveau), are not neutral due to their hierarchical or value-laden connotations. They urge the government, educational institutions, media, and employers to be mindful of the negative impact certain language can have on MBO students.
In the Netherlands, secondary vocational education provides practical training and vocational skills after completing lower secondary education. MBO is designed to prepare students directly for the workforce or for further studies.
“Words matter,” stated Adnan Tekin, chairman of the MBO Council. “Too often, I meet students who are hesitant to reveal at a party that they study at MBO. I believe this is partly due to how we talk about secondary vocational education, which has become synonymous with being poorly educated,” he added.
The manifesto proposes several alternatives to the current terms. For example, “MBO and higher education” (mbo en het hoger onderwijs) should be replaced with “further education” (“het vervolgonderwijs”). The neutral term “flow through” (doorstromen) could replace the more charged “flow up and down” (op- en afstromen) Additionally, “educational direction” (onderwijsrichting) is suggested as a better alternative to “educational level” (opleidingsniveau).
The initiators also call on employers to widen their recruitment scope to include candidates from various educational backgrounds, noting that many vacancies specify a level of education, often at a higher vocational or university level, which can be exclusionary.
The Ministry of Education is considering abolishing terms like “highly and poorly educated” (“hoog- en laagopgeleid'). Although Minister Dijkgraaf intended to make a final decision this autumn, the fall of the cabinet has postponed it. He has urged his successor to maintain the pursuit of this change. “It is time to give secondary vocational education the recognition it deserves. The current terminology does not help with this,” he stated.
According to Trouw, these changes could eventually lead to renaming the entire education system, removing hierarchical implications from terms like MBO (secondary vocational education) and HBO (higher vocational education)
