UvH launches research on freedom and equality in education
5 July 2023
The University of Humanistic Studies (UvH) is launching a study on freedom and equality in education. This research focuses on desirable principles according to citizens and education professionals.
The liberties and responsibilities of schools in the Netherlands are enshrined in Article 23 of the Constitution (Grondwet). Which liberties and responsibilities schools should have has been the subject of ongoing debate for decades. A relevant question for politics and society today is whether the 1917 article of the Constitution is still in line with current views on good education and developments in society.
Discussions about desirable freedoms and responsibilities of schools are often conducted on the basis of incidents. But apart from these incidents, do we actually know how citizens in the Netherlands think about the liberties and responsibilities of schools? And what stakeholders like parents, teachers, headmasters and administrators think about the impact of Article 23 on our current educational landscape?
The University for Humanistic Studies is starting a two-year study focusing on this question, co-funded by the associations for public education, VOS/ABB and VOO.
Liberties and responsibilities
Anyone in the Netherlands may start a school. This freedom is enshrined in Article 23 of the Constitution. This allows parents to choose a school for their child that suits their views. The government does impose requirements on the quality of education and must also ensure sufficient public education.
The researchers would like to find out what citizens and stakeholders think of these legally enshrined freedoms and responsibilities. Do they consider philosophical education, for example, also a task of education? Should this take place in all schools and in what way? And are there differences between different groups of people in this context?
In the study, researchers explore the relationship between characteristics of different groups of people and their views on current and desirable freedoms and responsibilities of education. The study consists of a questionnaire survey and an in-depth study with interviews.
UvH researcher Isolde de Groot explains: "We want to identify points of interest and perspectives that can contribute to social and political discussions. So that we can also explore possible and desirable developments in policy and practice based on empirical research."
The University for Humanistic Studies (UvH) is launching a study on freedom and equality in education. This research focuses on desirable principles according to citizens and education professionals.