On Thursday, 11 December, the House of Representatives will debate the research into the transition test. This test is taken by students in group 8 to partly determine the level they can handle in secondary school. You can follow the debate from 7:20 PM via Debat Direct.

For this debate, State Secretary for Fundamental Education and Emancipation, Koen Becking, will come to the House.

Different Tests

The transition test is mandatory for all primary schools, but not every school uses the same test. There are different providers; for the 2025-2026 school year, for example, a choice can be made between six different tests. According to MP Hans Vijlbrief (D66), this is not an ideal situation. He said in the work schedule of 25 June 2025: Nowadays, it not only matters where you were born, but also which test you take. Schools that switch to another transition test score significantly better. That is bad for equal opportunities.

Exploration of a Different System

Following the Rooderkerk motion (D66), the State Secretary wrote a letter. In it, he informed the House about the outcome of the exploration of a system with one transition test. I am positive about the possible system change, he writes. At the same time, I find it important that we make a well-considered decision about this, taking into account the needs of the schools, and avoiding stacking system changes on top of each other.

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