Compulsory education (leerplicht) is a legal obligation to receive education. Although in the Netherlands we speak of compulsory education rather than compulsory school attendance, young people who live in the Netherlands are in practice required to go to school. If a child does not go to school without a valid reason, the compulsory education officer (leerplichtambtenaar) can step in. The parents can also be called to account. This page describes the situation in the Netherlands.
Compulsory education in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, pupils aged five to sixteen are subject to compulsory education. This applies to all children who live in the Netherlands. Children of asylum seekers or of parents with a different nationality are also subject to compulsory education.
Start of compulsory education
Compulsory education begins on the first day of the month following the child's fifth birthday. From that day, the parents are obliged to send their child to school, otherwise they commit an offence. So children may not start school later. They may, however, start school earlier. In fact, most children already go to school from the age of four. It is not enough for children to be registered at a school; they must also actually attend that school.
Bear in mind that you must register a child with a primary school in good time. You can find information about this on your municipality's website. Sometimes you may choose a primary school yourself, but in some municipalities the child has to go to school in their own neighbourhood. Sometimes places are allocated by lottery, or arrangements are made so that brothers and sisters can attend the same school. Some primary schools have a waiting list.
End of compulsory education
Compulsory education lasts until the end of the school year in which the child turns sixteen. In other words, the child is required to finish that school year first. In the Netherlands, a school year runs up to and including 31 July. Compulsory education also ends once a child has attended school for at least twelve full school years, where skipping a year group (groep) at primary school counts as a full school year.
Qualification requirement
In principle, compulsory education ends when a child is sixteen and the school year ends. However, young people who do not have a basic qualification (startkwalificatie), meaning a diploma in senior general secondary education (havo), pre-university education (vwo) or secondary vocational education (mbo) at level 2 or higher, are subject to a qualification requirement (kwalificatieplicht). The qualification requirement does not apply, however, to young people who have attended practical education (praktijkonderwijs). Young people who are subject to the qualification requirement must continue in full-time education and may not work full-time.
Exemption from compulsory education
Children who are subject to compulsory education must go to school. Sometimes, however, a child can be granted an exemption from compulsory education. Such exemptions are only allowed in exceptional cases. In addition, a child may be unable to attend education for psychological, physical or medical reasons.
Exemption for 5-year-olds
When children go to school for the first time, a full school week can still be too intense. That is why 5-year-olds may stay at home for up to five hours a week. This does require permission from the head of the school. If the child needs even more rest, an extra five hours can sometimes be granted. In total, a 5-year-old can therefore be absent from school for up to ten hours a week. From the child's sixth birthday, this is no longer allowed.
Going on holiday outside the school holidays
In principle, you are not allowed to take a child on holiday outside the school holidays. There is, however, an exception for situations where work makes it impossible for the family to go on holiday during a school holiday. In that case, the parent can ask for leave outside the school holidays. It is the head teacher of the school who can give permission for this. The head teacher may give the child a maximum of ten days off, once per school year. The head teacher may not give the child leave during the first two weeks after the summer holidays.
Authorised absence from school
Sometimes there are special circumstances in which the child does not have to go to school. This is the case, for example, if the child is ill or has been suspended. A religious holiday, a wedding or a funeral can also be a reason to keep the child home from school. Always tell the head teacher why you think your child should have time off. The head teacher decides whether or not the child gets time off. If a child needs more than ten days off, it is the compulsory education officer who must give permission.
Exemption from registering at a school
The compulsory education officer can exempt a child from the obligation to be registered at a school. The exemption always applies for one school year. An exemption can be granted, among other reasons, if the child has a disorder or is very ill. The compulsory education officer can also grant an exemption if a school does not fit the family's way of life or religion. Sometimes a child can also be exempted for part of the year, for example if the parents work in a travelling circus or at a funfair.
Child goes to school abroad
Dutch children must in principle be registered at a school in the Netherlands. However, a child may go to school abroad. In that case, an exemption can be requested from the compulsory education officer. The compulsory education officer will ask for proof of registration from the foreign school. For this, the foreign school will have to provide a statement. Statements are accepted not only in Dutch, but also in French, English or German. If necessary, the statement must be translated by a recognised translation agency. When the compulsory education officer grants an exemption, it is not necessary to register the child at a Dutch school. The municipality must, however, be informed every year that the child goes to school abroad.
Supervision of compulsory education
Compliance with the Compulsory Education Act (Leerplichtwet), a law that forms part of education law, is supervised. It is the compulsory education officer who has the power to do this. Every municipality must employ at least one compulsory education officer. In addition, schools are required to report unauthorised absence to the absence reporting desk (verzuimloket) of the Education Executive Agency (DUO).
Supervision by the compulsory education officer
The main task of the compulsory education officer is to check whether parents and young people comply with compulsory education. First of all, the compulsory education officer will inform parents and young people, for example about why it is so important for the young person to go to school. The compulsory education officer will also warn about the consequences if a child does not go to school. In addition, the compulsory education officer will investigate why a child is not going to school. If there are underlying problems, the officer will, for example, refer the family to a care professional.
If the parents do not do enough to stop the absence, or if the parents are to blame for the absence, the compulsory education officer draws up an official report (proces-verbaal). The report can be directed against the parent(s) and/or the pupil aged 12 or over. A report is not drawn up straight away, but only after earlier warnings or after a referral to Halt (youth diversion scheme). If a child is not registered at a school, the compulsory education officer can also draw up an official report.
Supervision by schools
The school must check whether pupils are present, or absent with or without authorisation. If there is unauthorised absence, the school is required to report it to DUO's absence reporting desk. Schools must also apply the rules on the admission, suspension and expulsion of pupils correctly. The parents must be informed if their child is playing truant.
Supervision by the Education Inspectorate
The Education Inspectorate (Inspectie van het Onderwijs) does not directly supervise pupils' attendance, but it does check whether schools comply with the Compulsory Education Act 1969 (Leerplichtwet 1969). The inspectorate will carry out a check at least once every four years. If there are signs that the school is not complying with this law, an investigation will be started sooner. The Education Inspectorate checks, for example, whether schools keep a good absence registration system and whether schools report correctly to DUO's absence reporting desk.
Action against unauthorised absence
Parents bear a great deal of responsibility when their child plays truant. They can be expected to take action if their child skips school. Responsibility is also placed on the school. If a child regularly plays truant, the compulsory education officer will step in. This can have far-reaching consequences. The child may even have to appear before the subdistrict court judge (kantonrechter).
Action by parents
Young people have a will of their own. Unfortunately, this means that truancy cannot be ruled out. Parents do, however, have authority over their children and must take action if they play truant. They can do this, for example, by grounding their child. Parents can also take their child to school themselves and ask the school for the child's timetable so that they can keep a closer eye on things. Parents can be expected to stay in touch with the school and, if necessary, to approach the participation council (medezeggenschapsraad) if they feel too little is being done about absence from school. If parents feel the school is doing too little about truancy, a complaint can also be submitted to the complaints committee.
Action by schools
Schools must keep track of attendance and absence. A school must have a good absence policy. If a school notices that a child is playing truant, it is important that the school reports this to the parents as soon as possible and discusses it with them. After all, parents have a right to information. The school can also include measures against truancy in the school guide (schoolgids) and refer parents to organisations that can help with children who no longer want to go to school.
Action by the compulsory education officer
Schools are required to report to DUO if a child misses a total of 16 hours of lessons or practical training in 4 consecutive weeks. The absence reporting desk will report the absence to the municipality's compulsory education officer. This officer starts an investigation and looks for a solution together with the parents. If necessary, an official report is drawn up. The pupil (aged 12 or over) may then have to appear before the subdistrict court judge. In the case of persistent absence, the compulsory education officer can notify the Social Insurance Bank (SVB). In some cases, the SVB can stop the child benefit (kinderbijslag).
Frequently asked questions about compulsory education
Compulsory education is an important topic in the Netherlands. It means that children must receive education until the age of sixteen. Sometimes exceptions are possible. Many parents have questions about how compulsory education works and what the consequences are if this obligation is not met. In this FAQ, we answer some frequently asked questions about compulsory education in the Netherlands.
Does the Dutch Compulsory Education Act apply if I am a Dutch national living abroad with my family?
No, the Dutch Compulsory Education Act only applies to people who are registered as residents in the Netherlands. The compulsory education laws of the other country may, however, require your child to go to school there or to be educated at home.
Can my child leave school without a diploma?
If a child leaves school without a diploma, the municipality is notified. Pupils under the age of 18 without a basic qualification are subject to the qualification requirement. These children must therefore follow a full-time course of education. If a child is over 18, they are allowed to leave school without a diploma. Up to the age of 23, the municipality is still notified. This notification is passed on to the Regional Reporting and Coordination Centre (RMC, Regionaal Meld- en Coördinatiepunt), which looks for a suitable solution. This can be a course, an apprenticeship or a job.
Can a school suspend or expel my child?
Yes, a school may suspend or expel a child. It can do this, for example, if a child behaves aggressively. The school guide sets out when a child will be suspended or expelled. There are, however, rules attached to suspending or expelling children. For example, a primary school may suspend a child for a maximum of five school days.
Can I get a fine if my child does not go to school?
Compulsory education is a legal obligation. A fine can be imposed for breaching compulsory education. Besides a fine, community service is also possible. In the worst case, even a prison sentence is possible. Children aged 12 and over can also be prosecuted themselves.
Can I lose child benefit if my child does not go to school?
Yes, the SVB can stop child benefit if children persistently play truant. This only happens for pupils aged 16 and 17.