On this page

1. Policy Framework

2. Formal learning

3. Non-formal and informal learning

4. Quality assurance/quality guidelines for non-formal learning

5. Educators' support

Policy Framework

There are legal requirements for primary and secondary education regarding citizenship, as it is part of the ‘basic skills’ including language, calculus-math, and digital literacy. The aim of the law is to promote active citizenship and social cohesion. It focuses on three key elements:

1. teaching respect for and knowledge of the fundamental values of the democratic constitutional state and acting accordingly with social and civic competences.
2. The educational provision must be goal-oriented, coherent and recognisable. The school must ensure that it has insight into the results.
3. The environment in which citizenship education is provided must be in line with the basic values, encourage pupils to practise and have a safe climate for everyone. 

For vocational education, there are citizenship qualification requirements. These concern competences in four areas:

• political-legal
• social-societal
• economic
• vital citizenship

Schools are free to determine the manner and precise implementation of this policy themselves. There are no special target groups defined, the policy applies to all pupils and students. 

Formal learning

Social and civic competences are incorporated in the Dutch curriculum through the law mentioned above. The specific learning objectives are not formulated in terms of concrete knowledge, thinking, skills, values, attitudes and behaviours. As educational freedom is quite broad in the Netherlands, there are no guidelines on whether schools have to teach it as a separate subject or integrated. There is also no recommended taught time. 

Non-formal and informal learning

Participative structures within formal education settings

The School Participation Act (Wet medezeggenschap op scholen) states that pupils and students should have a say in their primary and secondary school. In addition to everyday opportunities to raise their voice, pupils are represented in the participation council (medezeggenschapsraad, MR) of their school. 

As for higher education, the Higher Education and Scientific Research Act (Wet op het hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek) includes sections about participation on various levels. Students and staff should be able to participate on a central level, in a University (of applied sciences) council, on faculty level, and per study or program. 

Measures to encourage student participation in the local community and wider society

The Social Service Time (maatschappelijke diensttijd MDT- Doe mee met MDT) program is a large scale initiative to promote civil society participation among young people, see 2.2 Administration and governance of youth volunteering. Young people can participate in this program is during school hours or in their free time. It is developed as a sequence of the civil internship that was completed by many secondary education pupils, which it was sometimes compulsory and sometimes extracurricular for a few years. 

Partnerships between formal education providers, youth organisations and youth work providers

There are no policies or legal frameworks knows to promote partnerships between these actors. Consequently, there are no public funds available on a national level. 

Supporting non-formal learning initiatives focusing on social and civic competences

There is no national policy on non-formal learning settings in general and therefore also not one focusing on social and civic competences specifically. 

Quality assurance/quality guidelines for non-formal learning

Apart from the Dutch qualification framework (Nederlands kwalificatieraamwerk, NLQF), which is in line with the European qualification framework for lifelong learning (Europees kwalificatieraamwerk voor een leven lang leren, EQF), there is no quality assurance or guideline for non-formal learning on a national level. 

Educators' support

Specific websites, guidelines, handbooks and other pedagogical material and tools supporting educators;

The national centre of expertise for curriculum (SLO) supports schools in strengthening the citizenship education on their schools. This includes a website (only in Dutch), and materials (also only in Dutch).

In addition to a general centre of expertise, there is a Citizenship Expertise Centre (Expertisepunt Burgerschap). This institute support primary, secondary, special needs and vocational schools for citizenship education. Their website offers information about policy and laws, education material and professionalisation opportunities for educators.