New law aims to tackle school absenteeism with stricter policies and support measures
Parents and students could soon face stricter rules and better support to combat school absenteeism. The Dutch House of Representatives debates a new law tomorrow, introducing five key measures to reduce dropout rates and improve attendance policies.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Bill Name | Act to Reduce School Absenteeism |
| Submitted By | Former State Secretary Mariëlle Paul (November 2024) |
| Current Representative | State Secretary Judith Tielen |
| Debate Date | March 26, 2026 |
| Debate Time | 2:55 PM (CET) |
| Key Measures | 1. Strengthening absenteeism policies |
| 2. Improving exemption processes for physical/psychological grounds | |
| Affected Legislation | Compulsory Education Act 1969 |
| Live Stream | Debat Direct |
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science oversees policies related to compulsory education and student welfare in the Netherlands. This bill reflects the government’s role in ensuring equal access to education and reducing long-term absenteeism, which can impact students' future opportunities.
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Debate on the Act to Reduce School Absenteeism
The House of Representatives will debate on Thursday, March 26, the Act to Reduce School Absenteeism. With this bill, the cabinet aims to better identify, prevent, and reduce long-term school absenteeism and dropout among pupils and students. You can follow the debate from 2:55 PM via Debat Direct.
For this debate, the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science, Judith Tielen, will attend the House of Representatives.
Five measures
The bill was submitted in November 2024 by the then State Secretary Mariëlle Paul. With five measures, the cabinet seeks to reduce school absenteeism, for example by strengthening absenteeism policies and improving the process for exemptions on physical or psychological grounds. Implementing this law will require adjustments to, among other things, the Compulsory Education Act 1969.
Follow live, read more and watch the replay
- Follow the debate live from 2:55 PM via Debat Direct. You can also watch it later via this link.
- View the accompanying documents or read more about the bill.
- After the meeting, also read the debate summary.