Europe at Present [Spring 2003]

NETHERLANDS

• 
  primary education for children aged from 4 to 12 years, including special schools for primary education
  
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  special education for children of all ages from 3 to 20 who require special educational treatment
  
• 
  secondary education for pupils aged between 12 and 18 years.
  
• 
  higher education, for students aged around 18 and over. This may be subdivided into, higher professional education (HBO), 17/18-21/22 years; university education (WO), 18-22 years; open distance education (OU), 18 years and over.
  

Primary education lasts eight years and is for children from the age of 4 to 12. Special schools for primary education (or group 1 special schools) cater for children who - for a period of time at least - require special educational treatment of a kind that cannot be provided at a mainstream school. Up to 31 July 1998 these schools were known as schools for children with learning and behavioural difficulties (LOM), schools for children with learning difficulties (MLK) and departments for preschool children with development difficulties (IOBK). On leaving primary school or a special school for primary education, children can go on to a special secondary school, learning support, practical training, pre-vocational education (VBO), junior general secondary education (MAVO), senior general secondary education (HAVO) or pre-university education (VWO).

Special schools cater for children who, possibly because of a disability of some kind, require more help with their development and education than ordinary primary and secondary schools can offer. At the end of special primary schooling, pupils generally go on to a special secondary school or to learning support or practical training, or they may be able to continue their education at an ordinary secondary school.

Secondary education comprises pre-university education (VWO), senior and junior general secondary education (HAVO and MAVO), pre-vocational education (VBO) and practical training/learning support and caters for pupils from 12 to about 18 years of age. VWO, HAVO, MAVO and VBO courses begin with a period of basic secondary education. Basic secondary education is a new core curriculum for the lower years of all the different types of secondary school. The emphasis is on acquiring skills and delivering an integrated curriculum. Basic secondary education is for pupils between the ages of 12 and 15 and lasts no more than three years.

VWO courses last six years and prepare pupils for university. In practice, students also go on from VWO to higher professional education. HAVO courses last five years and are designed to prepare pupils to enter higher professional education. In practice, pupils who have obtained HAVO qualifications also transfer to VWO or MBO. The second stage of HAVO and VWO, which follows on from basic secondary education, is also referred to as pre-higher education (VHO). MAVO lasts four years and is meant chiefly to prepare pupils for vocational education. Many pupils with MAVO qualifications decide, however, to go on to HAVO. Pupils with VBO qualifications (4-year course) can go on to vocational education. MAVO and VBO are also referred to jointly as pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO).

Adult and vocational education (BVE) comprises vocational education courses and adult education courses. There are two possible training pathways in vocational education: vocational training (equivalent to the old senior secondary vocational education or MBO) and block or day release (equivalent to the old system of apprenticeships). Non-formal adult education and the old part-time MBO courses have been subsumed by these two training pathways and the four levels of qualification available. Vocational education is for young people who want to obtain a vocational qualification at secondary level and caters for those above compulsory school age who have a VBO or MAVO certificate, i.e. have completed the first stage of secondary education, and/or have left the second stage of secondary education with or without a qualification. Adult education comprises adult general secondary education (VAVO), courses providing a broad basic education (what used to be known as adult basic education), courses aimed at fostering self-reliance and courses in Dutch as a second language. The purpose of adult education is to provide a solid foundation for vocational and secondary education courses and enable adults to participate in society.

Higher education, for students aged from around 18, includes higher professional education, university education and higher distance education in the shape of the Open University. Higher professional education (HBO) follows on from the level achieved at the end of HAVO, VWO and MBO (senior secondary vocational education). University education (WO) is provided at universities, of which the Netherlands has thirteen. The maximum length of HBO and university courses is four years, with the exception of certain courses which are regulated by law and last five or six years. All courses end with an examination.

GERMANY

1. In some Länder special types of transition from pre-school to primary education (Vorklassen, Schulkindergärten) exist. In Berlin and Brandenburg the primary school comprises 6 grades.

2. The disabled attend special forms of general-education and vocational school types (in some cases integrated with non-handicapped pupils) depending on the type of disability in question. Designation of schools varies according to the law of each Land .

3. Irrespective of school type, grades 5 and 6 constitute a phase of particular support, supervision and orientation with regard to the pupil's future educational path and its particular focuses. In some Länder, the orientation stage ( Orientierungsstufe or Förderstufe) is organised as a separate organisational unit independent of the standard school types.

4. The Hauptschule and Realschule courses of education are also offered at schools with several courses of education, for which the names differ from one Land to another. The Mittelschule (Sachsen), Regelschule (Thüringen), Sekundarschule (Sachsen-Anhalt), Erweiterte Realschule (Saarland), Integrierte Haupt- und Realschule (Hamburg), Verbundene Haupt- und Realschule (Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and Regionale Schule (Rheinland-Pfalz), as well as comprehensive schools (Gesamtschule) fall under this category.

5. The Gymnasium course of education is also offered at comprehensive schools (Gesamtschule). In the cooperative comprehensive schools, including the Schulzentrum in Bremen, the three courses of education (Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium) are brought under one educational and organisational umbrella; these form an educational and organisational whole at the integrated Gesamtschule. The provision of comprehensive schools (Gesamtschulen) varies in accordance with the respective educational laws of the Länder.

6. The general education qualifications that may be obtained after grades 9 and 10 carry particular designations in some Länder. These certificates can also be obtained in evening classes.

7. Admission to the Gymnasiale Oberstufe requires a formal entrance qualification which can generally be obtained after grade 10. Sachsen-Anhalt and Thüringen have ruled that the formal entrance qualification can be awarded after grade 9 at the Gymnasium. The Allgemeine Hochschulreife can generally be obtained after the successful completion of 13 consecutive school years. In four Länder (Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) the Allgemeine Hochschulreife can be acquired after 12 years of schooling.

8. The Fachoberschule is a school type lasting two years (11th and 12th grades) which takes pupils who have completed the Realschule and which qualifies them for higher education Fachhochschulreife. Pupils who have successfully completed the Realschule and have been through initial vocational training can also enter the Fachoberschule directly in the 12th grade.

9. Full-time vocational schools differing in terms of entrance requirements, duration and leaving certificates. Certain two-year Berufsfachschulen requiring a Realschule certificate for admission lead to a state-recognised examination as assistant. One or two-year courses at Berufsfachschulen offer basic vocational training. Under certain conditions the Fachhochschulreife can be acquired on completion of a course lasting a minimum of two years.

10. Extension courses are offered to enable pupils to acquire qualifications equivalent to the Hauptschule and Realschule leaving certificates.

11. Fachschulen cater for vocational continuing education (1-3 year duration) and as a rule require the completion of relevant vocational training in a recognised occupation and subsequent employment. In addition, the Fachhochschulreife can be acquired under certain conditions. Within the context of the International Standard Classification for Education (ISCED97), Fachschulen are classified in the tertiary sector.

12. Including institutions of higher education offering courses in particular disciplines at university level (e.g. theology, philosophy, medicine, administration science, sport).

13. Tertiary sector institutions in seven Länder offering academic training at a Studienakademie (study institution) combined with practical in-company professional training in keeping with the principle of the dual system.