School pupils could be doing better 01/02/2007 00:00

1 February 2007

AMSTERDAM - School pupils could be performing much better than they are now. The final report granted students upon completing primary education should be given the same status as an actual school diploma.

The educational advice based on performance on the CITO standardised tests should be only a provisional recommendation. After all, once students have taken the test, they still have four months in school before the summer holiday. This time could be utilised to improve school performance and result in a recommendation for a higher level of secondary education.

The Advisory Council for Education wrote this in a recommendation that appeared on Thursday.

The council says that ten percent of primary school pupils are performing below their ability. Talent is going wasted in secondary education as well.

The council wants teachers to help bring about improvement by providing extra tuition as part of weekend and summer school, for instance.

If pupils' talents are better deployed, more students will choose to move on to higher education. The council expects this could also reduce the drop-out rate, increase the number of students in higher education, and subsequently lead to better chances of work and income.

If language arrears among "under-performers" can be worked away before the end of primary school, that would lead to better chances of higher income among this group in future.

The Council also cited possible benefits for society as a result, including lower expenditure on health care, social security and crime.

[Copyright Expatica + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news