January 29, 2025
The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science has proposed a new law (Wetsvoorstel toezicht informeel onderwijs) that would give the government authority to intervene in informal education if there are concerns about inciting hatred or violence. Some 3,000 individuals and organizations shared comments via the internet consultation, which closed on January 8. Secretary of State Paul plans to send the bill to the House of Representatives at the end of this year.
Our organization, HLE Network, issued a statement in response to the law proposal, referencing in particular the secular heritage language and culture education programs across the country, such as those in our network in Brabant. We expressed concerns about an overly negative approach that will damage the informal education sector. We made several concrete recommendations for how to ensure accountability while also setting up mechanisms of support, for a more balanced approach.
What are the legal experts saying? And religious groups? Like us, they conclude that the approach is disproportionately negative.
Feedback from five professors
In a column on January 17, 2025, on De Nederlandse Grondwet site, Professor Emeritus Tom Zwart, expert in Cross-cultural Law at Utrecht University, asserts that the law proposal raises serious constitutional questions. He identifies several constitutional and treaty-related shortcomings in the bill and concludes that "therefore the State Secretary should refrain from filing it."
"The law will hang over the heads of the informal education sector like the sword of Damocles."
- Prof. Tom Zwart, Utrecht University
According to coverage by De Vereniging voor Gereformeerd Schoolonderwijs , four additional professors had criticisms for the law proposal at a round table discussion in the Dutch House of Representatives on January 27, 2025, chaired by ChristenUnie MP Don Ceder and organised by Verus, VGS/VBSO, CIO, and MissieNederland.
Professor Beatrice de Graaf, faculty professor of History of International Relations at Utrecht University, explained that radicalization is a real threat, but it is marginal, and the Child Protection Council can protect the safety of children.
Professor Paul Frissen, Dean and researcher of the Netherlands School of Public Administration and professor emeritus of Public Administration, argued that the bill has the wrong approach.
Professor Sophie van Bijsterveld, professor of Religion, Law and Policy at Radboud University Nijmegen, explained that the law is not proportionate because completely legitimate forms of informal education come under potential supervision.
Professor Renée van Schoonhoven, Professor of Education Law at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, argues that the law does not meet the conditions set by rights to privacy.
Over 100,000 petitions signatures
On January 28, nine church youth organizations handed over a petition against the law -- claiming that the government's approach is like "shooting a mosquito with a cannon." The director of the Interchurch Knowledge Center (IKC), Bert Kalkman, called for the law not to be introduced, speaking his statement also on behalf of the Islamic Foundation of the Netherlands (ISN), in which some 150 mosques are affiliated, as well as on behalf of the Chinese-Asian weekend schools.
The law is like shooting a mosquito with a cannon.
- Church youth groups
Over 100,000 people signed one of the three petitions to the House of Representatives. The IKC's petition is supported by over 57,000 people, the ISN collected nearly 42,000 signatures and the petition from the Chinese weekend schools and several other organizations received over 2,000 endorsements.
Next steps
There will be another meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Education, Culture and Science on February 11, 2025, at 2:00 pm. They will discuss a "Woo-verzoek" and the publication of documents related to the bill.
Additional Christian publications
Wet informeel onderwijs: grote stap richting totalitaire staat Reformatorisch Dagblad (RD)
Toezicht op informeel onderwijs zet engagement in samenleving op het spel Vereniging voor katholiek en christelijk onderwijs (Verus)
OJKC tegen wetsvoorstel informeel onderwijs Research Center for Youth, Church, and Culture (OJKC)
IKC overhandigt petitie: Stop de wet toezicht informeel onderwijs IKC (Instituut voor Christelijk Cultuur)
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