Dutch schools introduce new learning targets for language and maths

New core objectives have been introduced in Dutch education as the school year begins. Targets for the Dutch language and mathematics have been updated for the first time since 2006, in order to improve the declining basic skills of students in the Netherlands.

Updated learning targets for Dutch and mathematics 

Children in the north of the country have returned to school and some learners will have different learning targets in the new school year. From August, Dutch schools can begin implementing the new core objectives for Dutch, arithmetic and mathematics, according to a government statement. 

Core objectives in education form the foundation of all lessons taught in the Netherlands, determining the knowledge, skills and experiences students must master. The current core objectives from 2006 have now been updated for primary education and the lower years of secondary education, reports NOS. 

The new objectives provide more guidance for teachers and give more specific descriptions about what students should be able to do. For example, outlining a clearer role for literature and requiring language to be developed throughout all subjects. 

Declining language and math skills in the Netherlands

While the Netherlands was considered a forerunner in reading in the past, the decline in basic skills among Dutch students has been a major concern for years. State Secretary for Education Judith Tielen even wrote in a recent letter to the House of Representatives that no other European country has seen such a drop in learning performance as the Netherlands.

Many children in the country are not reading, writing or doing arithmetic at the level they should be. "Language and arithmetic skills have been declining for too long. And everything starts with language: acquiring knowledge, understanding each other and the teacher, and expressing yourself,” said Tielen. “That is why language is being integrated more into all subjects."

This year, the focus is on the new learning targets for Dutch, arithmetic and mathematics, but from next year, updated core objectives for other subjects will also be introduced. Two new subjects, digital literacy and citizenship, have even been added. Schools have until 2031 to incorporate all the new core objectives into their teaching. 

Educational scientist Ilja Cornelisz agrees that ambitious core objectives are important to improve skills, but also points out that more is needed to improve the overall outcome. "The real challenge is to give teachers the professional space and the reliable knowledge and support to effectively realise those goals in their own classrooms," Cornelisz told NOS.