HBO
WO&E

Budget Memorandum: Future cuts to higher education

Despite protests from, among others, the AOb there are still significant cutbacks to higher education in the new government budget of the cabinet. The education union is surprised about the choices made by outgoing minister Ingrid Van Engelshoven.

Tekst Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau (HOP) en redactie Onderwijsblad - - 2 Minuten om te lezen

austerity

Image: Pixabay

Research commissioned by its own ministry revealed a structural underfunding in the light of more than 1 billion euros on an annual basis. Douwe van der Zweep is director for the AOb: “Why then does the cabinet book the ICT costs of the Education Executive Agency at the universities? And why does higher education pay for 226 million euros in missed interest on student loans?”

The budget that the caretaker cabinet Tuesday presented, is for education - on it primary education after - turned out to be a fill-in-the-blank exercise. There is no new government, so no new policy. However, the government is passing on some problems. University association VSNU equalized on Prince's Tuesday the spotlight us.

Interest income

The first cut in higher education has to do with student debt. Initially, the cabinet wanted to increase the interest on student loans, but two years ago the House of Representatives put an end to this. As a result, the government is missing out on income: the extra interest would already amount to 2026 million euros in 3 and that amount would eventually rise to 226 million euros per year.

This creates a hole in the budget. The government will 'technically' book this lost money in the form of a future cutback at universities of applied sciences and universities. Opposition parties PvdA and SP clashed over this in 2019 already with CDA minister Wopke Hoekstra of Finance.

ICT problems

The most recent budget includes such a future cutback. The ICT costs of the Education Executive Agency (DUO) are very expensive. Among other things, the renovation of mijnduo.nl, the place where (former) students can go for their student loans and contact with DUO, was twice as expensive as estimated. From 2026 to 2033, an annual cutback of approximately 40 million euros has therefore been technically booked in the funding of the sector. In total an amount of 320 million euros.

It is bizarre that outgoing minister Van Engelshoven keeps calling for at least 1 billion more in higher education, and then presents cutbacks in her latest budget.

De AOb is just as surprised as the VSNU about the planned discounts. Technical entry means that it must be somewhere in the budget. The next cabinet can cancel the cutbacks or spread them across several education sectors. AOb: “We expect these cuts to higher education to be scrapped as soon as a new government starts investing in all education sectors. But it is bizarre that outgoing Minister Van Engelshoven keeps saying that at least 1 billion must be added in higher education, and then presents cuts in her latest budget."

Moreover, technical booking regularly causes problems. Like last spring, when the corona support to students was simultaneously booked as a cutback on MBO, HBO and scientific education. “Does it look ugly? Yes,” said D66 Minister Van Engelshoven in June up. Her own party subsequently ensured that this cutback disappeared from the books after a intense debate with the Minister of Finance.

 

This page was translated automatically, if you see strange translations please let us know