Did you know that the Netherlands is a European leader in….retention! On average in European countries 7, 3% of children repeat the class. In the Netherlands, it is on average 22.4%. The total cost of retention equals 1,4 billion euros per year. This is equivalent to more than 80 euros per person.
It is worth adding that a special government organization in the Netherlands controlling the quality of education ”Inspectie van het Onderwijs” allows retention in classes 1-3 on the level of 12% and in groups 3-7 up to 3%.
According to the latest report which we received from the spokesperson of Inspectie van het Onderwijs the numbers of retention are even higher with children who have a migration background.
So the official latest data is as follows: 15,8% of children with no migration background repeat the class in the Netherlands in primary schools as contrast to: 21,6% (children with the western immigration background), 21% not western 2nd generation and 27% not western 1st generation.
There are also differences in numbers concerning completing the primary education, children with no migration generally complete their primary schools. Only 60,3% of boys and 65,6% of girls from the 1st generation non- western immigration completed their primary school nominally in 2017-2018. Children with a migration background are also more often advised by schools to continue their education at a lower level of a secondary school.
So the immigration background defines the future of the child. For example: 19,4% of children with a migration background who are in the Netherlands shorter than 4 years are advised by their primary schools to continue their education at a VMBO-B level (preparatory secondary vocational education) as contrast to 5,9% children with no migration background. When we look at the VWO level (highest possible: pre-university level of secondary school), we see a spectacular change: 8,2 % children with a migration background who are in the Netherlands shorter than 4 years are advised by Dutch primary schools to follow their education at this level in contrast to 21,2% children with no migration background. Differences are visible for all children with various migration backgrounds as contrast to children with no migration background.
What could be the reasons that children with a migration background score less, are retained more often and as a result are advised to follow education at a lower level? Are migration children more stupid, less intelligent or maybe they are not properly tutored at schools, are not offered the right methods and are not objectively tested?
These questions will be answered by among others a guru in the educational world Prof. John Hattie in my interviews and other publications where we will reflect on various scientific research concerning teaching children with a migration background and also look at the linguistic and psychological profile, needs and the development of these children.
In the article and the report the following definition has been applied: A person has a Western background when he, she or legal parents were born in Europe (excluding Turkey), North America or Oceania. Indonesia and Japan are also counted among the western countries. If a person or legal parents were born in another country, according to the definition, this person has a non-Western migration background.
Image: Pixabay by Capri 23auto
Statistics: Onderwijs Inspectie
Read also more about children with migration background, bilingualism and Dutch schools here: