Dutch high school students lagging far behind in civics, democracy studies

Young people in the Netherlands know less about democracy and citizenship than their peers in comparable countries and are also taught less about it in school. They also have less confidence in their own citizenship and skills than peers in comparable countries, according to a study by the Universities of Amsterdam and Groningen for the Ministry of Education.

“Dutch high school students know just as much about citizenship and democratic principles as the international average but significantly less than students in areas similar to the Netherlands, such as the Scandinavian countries or the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia,” the researchers noted.

Dutch teens’ knowledge of these topics also decreased compared to six years ago, but that trend was visible in many countries. However, Dutch teenagers look up information about social issues and discuss them less with others than their peers in similar countries.

Many teenagers, nearly 80 percent, believe democracy is the best way to govern the country, think the political system works, and express confidence in the government. However, Dutch teens’ confidence in the government is lower than their peers in comparable countries. “Although almost three-quarters of young people say they will vote when they turn 18, this number is lower than in countries similar to the Netherlands. Additionally, young people in the Netherlands express less support for gender equality and equal rights for ethnic groups.”

The researchers noted remarkable disparities between young people in the Netherlands depending on their parents’ education level, whether they have an immigration background, and what school they are in. Young people with highly educated parents are more likely to know more about democracy and citizenship and express greater support for equal rights, for example. And teens with a migration background are more positive towards immigrants but have less confidence in democratic institutions.

This study formed part of the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), conducted in 24 countries among school students in their second year of high school, usually 14-year-olds.