Dutch school absenteeism hits record high as thousands miss classes or aren’t enrolled

The number of Dutch children missing school or not attending at all has risen sharply, affecting both students who are absent for extended periods and those not registered at any school, according to a new report by KBA Nijmegen. Caretaker State Secretary for Education Koen Becking (VVD) sent the report to the Tweede Kamer on Thursday.

Researchers estimate that in the 2023–2024 school year, approximately 11,000 students were absent without authorization for prolonged periods, nearly 17,000 were absent for extended periods with permission, and roughly 15,000 compulsory school-age children were not enrolled anywhere.

These figures represent substantial increases compared with the 2020–2021 school year, though direct comparisons are complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic during that earlier period.

The report warns that actual absenteeism is likely higher than official statistics suggest, partly due to long-term authorized absences and insufficient educational provisions for newcomers. In 2023–2024, for example, 2,300 Ukrainian children were not registered in school.

Municipalities cited multiple factors behind the rising absenteeism, including waiting lists for youth services, parental preference for homeschooling, and education that does not adequately meet student needs.

The report also notes shortcomings in enforcing the Compulsory Education Act, particularly after the Public Prosecution Service in April 2025 stopped pursuing some parents who kept their children at home.

In his letter to the Tweede Kamer, Becking wrote that the cabinet is examining ways to improve enforcement of the Compulsory Education Act and to address exemptions such as homeschooling.

The government is also exploring measures to prevent school absenteeism and plans to provide the Tweede Kamer with further details by the summer of 2026.