Wet Voorschriften vrijstelling leerplicht bij richtingbezwaren

Reactie

Vraag1

My comment for this bill is about the language requirement. As an expat family we chose to send our child to Dutch public school in part so that they would learn Dutch. We may need to return to our home country soon (after 3 years of school for example), and yet we felt it important for them to have the opportunity to learn the language of this culture in which we live, greatly respect, and appreciate. That said, many expat families choose to send their child to private school in a language other than Dutch, English especially. Accordingly, families who can afford the fees of such a school are not required to educate their child in Dutch. This is an unfair discrepancy for those families who want to home school. If a family plans to maintain permanent residence in The Netherlands, it makes sense for the entire family to all learn Dutch and especially for children to be schooled in Dutch. If needed, this could be done at home with a tutor who is a native Dutch speaker. Experts say that 20 hours a week of exposure to a new language is sufficient for children to learn it well. That could be completed with a combination of activities such as classes outside the home that are conducted in Dutch (art, music or sports for example), online classes, and tutoring. For other families, if they will only be in the Netherlands for a year or two, it seems that a Dutch language requirement is not necessary. As such, the language requirement should be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs and desires of the family.

I understand that all people new to The Netherlands are not expats. Many families are coming to stay. School is an important way of learning Dutch culture and language and of insuring to a greater degree that children are safe and healthy. I appreciate the roles of schools in these and many other ways. I also appreciate that some children have different needs and some families have a great capacity for giving their child an exceptional educational experience at home — one that will prepare them for a successful and happy life more than being forced to be in a school environment.

Thank you for all you do and for your consideration in this matter specifically.