Educational organizations start protests against the Cabinet's budget cuts

Education organizations are planning to take further action to protest the new budget cuts planned by the Cabinet. They are pleading that for the Educational Opportunities Scheme to remain, this scheme makes it possible for the most vulnerable students to be given extra support. The Cabinet wants to cut the scheme, which would free up 177 million euros.

According to the VO-raad, which represents secondary schools, "this Cabinet presents the bill to the 455,000 most vulnerable students in pre-vocational secondary education and practical education.” The organization warned that this will lead to a dangerous and very damaging domino effect, which will cost society a lot more than these cuts will raise.

“From teachers to parents, from school leaders to school board members, from students to educational support staff. Everybody agrees: this is unacceptable,” the PO-raad added on behalf of the primary schools. The organization’s chairman, Freddy Weima, called it a "shameful grab from the treasury.”

The organizations began their protests on Tuesday during a congress that included the Ministry of Education in Utrecht. Representatives of the sector rolled out a banner and announced a petition.

In the petition, they also oppose the plan not to increase the subsidy that schools receive for teaching basic skills in line with inflation. They warn of major problems such as "more home-schoolers, fuller classes and greater pressure on youth care.”

The education unions AOb and CNV, parent organizations, and school leaders are supporting the plea to abolish the budget cuts.