Cabinet is investing 500 million euros extra in times of crisis
The cabinet is investing 500 million euros in education to deal with the consequences of the corona crisis. Of this amount, 200 million euros has been reserved for students. For primary schools, secondary schools and MBO institutions, EUR 244 million will be made available to catch up.
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The Council of Ministers decided this last Friday. In a press release from the Ministry of Education, the government states that the money is intended to 'mitigate' the consequences of the corona crisis in education.
Summer schools
For example, a large part of the amount goes to schools in primary, secondary and vocational education to clear up arrears and to start up summer schools. The cabinet hopes that schools will use the money to offer extra lessons in addition to the regular teaching time between the summer holiday 2020 and the following summer. They may outsource this to other providers. The cabinet is reserving 21 million euros for newcomers. 'Distance learning has turned out to be less effective for them than for pupils who speak the language.'
Schools in primary, secondary and secondary vocational education receive 244 million euros to clear up arrears
Study delay
The cabinet is reserving 200 million euros for students. For example, for those who were to graduate between September 2020 and the end of January 2021 but are now experiencing a study delay and who cannot catch up in other grades. The cabinet will provide financial support to this group of students from MBO, HBO and WO. They will receive a three-month refund of tuition or tuition fees because they have to re-register. For BBL students this is EUR 150, for BOL students EUR 300 and for higher education EUR 535. Students whose basic grant ends this summer also receive a one-off compensation.
200 million euros is intended to help students financially
Companies that offer apprenticeships to MBO students can count on an advance on the subsidy. The companies that are hit particularly hard will receive more money from the cabinet so that they can allow MBO students to do an internship. The ministers are allocating 30 million euros for this.
Budget change
AObpolicy officer Paul Hellings says that the 500 million euros actually appear to be an extra investment by the Ministry of Finance in education. "That is obvious." He is cautious, however, because it can only be said for sure once a budget amendment has been added to the budget for this amount.
