Additional Funding for Holocaust Education in Secondary Schools

It is essential to keep alive the memory of the history of the Holocaust and the genocide of Sinti and Roma. This history shows the terrible consequences of groupthink, hatred, antisemitism, and other forms of discrimination. This period is becoming increasingly distant for future generations. Therefore, the government invests in spreading knowledge about the Holocaust. Among other things, by supporting projects from various institutions in the WWII remembrance sector. They play a central role in Holocaust education: they reach schools, receive students and visitors, develop educational materials, and support teachers.

Education is crucial to strengthen knowledge about the Holocaust among young people. From January 1, all secondary schools affiliated with the cultural card of the Cultural Youth Passport Foundation (CJP) will receive extra funding to organize activities about the Holocaust. They can use this to visit museums and performances with their students or organize guest lessons and workshops in the classroom. The budget can also be spent on transportation. This meets the needs of schools. A survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) among teachers shows that they want to undertake such activities but currently find it too time-consuming and costly to organize themselves. By involving the CJP, these barriers should be removed. Schools decide how the budget is used. Teachers can thus determine how and which activities fit the way they teach about the Holocaust within the education program.

The government considers it important that newcomers in the Netherlands have knowledge of the Holocaust. Since July 1, 2025, knowledge of the Holocaust has been explicitly part of the integration exam Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM). Additionally, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) is working on enabling visits to institutions as part of the integration process for Holocaust education. This involves visits to museums and memorial sites. The first visits will take place in 2026 as a pilot. This way, the important lessons from World War II can be conveyed to newcomers with greater impact. A guide is being prepared for integration teachers to support them in teaching this subject.

The National Plan to Strengthen Holocaust Education was launched last year on the initiative of the NCAB by the ministries of VWS, OCW, SZW, and the NCAB. With this, the government aims to increase knowledge about the Holocaust among Dutch people. There are concerns that knowledge about the Holocaust is declining, especially as there are fewer eyewitnesses. Therefore, it is necessary for society to continue actively investing in education about and remembrance of the Holocaust. This year, the NCAB held a successful campaign Learn about the Holocaust which will be repeated in January 2026. The campaign aims to increase knowledge, awareness, and social resilience among all Dutch citizens.