Every student DUO discriminated against eligible for compensation: Minister

All students who were victims of a discriminatory selection process by student financing agency DUO to review their eligibility for the Dutch student housing allowance, known as "uitwonendenbeurs," are entitled to compensation, Education Minister Rianne Letschert (D66) said Wednesday during a parliamentary debate. The payment scheme will also include students who actually committed fraud, he stated.

Letschert said last week that the government has set aside 80 million euros for handling compensation claims tied to the case. Members of Parliament Diederik Boomsma (JA21) and Annette Raijer (PVV) questioned during the debate whether the compensation plan also applies to students who were found to have fraudulently received the housing allowance.

The minister confirmed that it does. She said even those students were selected for inspection unlawfully, making the state liable for the damages incurred.

She added that the ruling means the actions taken were based on evidence that was obtained illegally. Letschert stated, "The unlawful evidence obtained has caused the damage," while acknowledging the decision may feel unfair.

Doğukan Ergin (DENK) noted during the debate that there had been a developing impression that all affected students were fraudsters and stressed that this was not the case.

Letschert said she understood that the situation could feel unjust but maintained that all students subjected to the discriminatory selection process are covered by the compensation scheme.