Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen; OCW) is the Dutch
Ministry
of Education
: the position is occupied with the Dutch education policy
, science policy, culture policy
and the Netherlands Public Broadcasting.
The current minister is Marja van Bijsterveldt
, she is aided by a state secretary, Halbe Zijlstra
.
, the tallest building of The Hague
. The ministry has around 2500 civil servants. The civil service is headed by a secretary general and a deputy secretary general, who head a system of three directorates general:
It has several autonomous agencies:
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
Ministry
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
of Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
: the position is occupied with the Dutch education policy
Education in the Netherlands
Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division: education is orientated toward the needs and background of the pupil. Education is divided over schools for different age groups, some of which are divided in streams for different educational levels...
, science policy, culture policy
Culture of the Netherlands
Dutch culture, or the culture of the Netherlands, is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences thanks to the merchant and exploring spirit of the Dutch and the influx of immigrants...
and the Netherlands Public Broadcasting.
The current minister is Marja van Bijsterveldt
Marja van Bijsterveldt
Janneke Marlene "Marja" van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart is a politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal. She is the Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010.-Early life:...
, she is aided by a state secretary, Halbe Zijlstra
Halbe Zijlstra
Halbe Zijlstra is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinet Rutte serving since October 14, 2010. He previously served as a Member of the House of Representatives from November 30, 2006 until...
.
Responsibilities
The mission of the ministry is to "work for a smart, able and creative Netherlands" The ministry is responsible for three fields of policy:- The whole of educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, from kindergartenKindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, via primary educationPrimary educationA primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary educationSecondary educationSecondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
to vocational training and higher educationHigher educationHigher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
; - CultureCultureCulture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, artsARtsaRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
and the public broadcastingPublic broadcastingPublic broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
; - ScienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and innovationInnovationInnovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
.
Organisation
The ministry is currently headed by one minister and two state secretary. The ministry's main office is located in the HoftorenHoftoren
Hoftoren is the tallest building of the Hague, measuring 142 metres. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands is housed here. The tower has 29 floors. The nickname of the tower is De vulpen - Design :...
, the tallest building of The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The ministry has around 2500 civil servants. The civil service is headed by a secretary general and a deputy secretary general, who head a system of three directorates general:
- Primary and Secondary Education;
- Higher Education, Professional Training and Sciences;
- and Culture and Media.
It has several autonomous agencies:
- Central Financial Institution, which is responsible for the execution of financial policies:
- Institute Collection Netherlands;
- National Archive;
- Government Service for Archeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments;
- Education Inspection;
- Cultural Conservation Inspection;
- Council for Science and Technology; Policy;
- Council for Education;
- and the Council for Culture.
History
The predecessor of the ministry, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Sciences was founded in 1918, as it became autonomous from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. It was founded as a result of the resolution of the conflict about the equalization of the finance for religious and public schools. During the German occupation the ministry was renamed Department for Education, Sciences and Cultural Conservation and a separate Department for Propaganda and Arts. In 1965 the department for arts was integrated into the new Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Social Work. In 1982 this cultural department was integrated into the Ministry of Health. In 1996 cultural department returned to the Ministry of Education.Ministers
Since 1989 the following politicians have been Minister of Education, Culture and Science- 2010-present Marja van BijsterveldtMarja van BijsterveldtJanneke Marlene "Marja" van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart is a politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal. She is the Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010.-Early life:...
(CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
)- 2010-present Halbe ZijlstraHalbe ZijlstraHalbe Zijlstra is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinet Rutte serving since October 14, 2010. He previously served as a Member of the House of Representatives from November 30, 2006 until...
(VVD, state secretary for culture)
- 2010-present Halbe Zijlstra
- 2010 André RouvoetAndré RouvoetAndré Rouvoet is a former Dutch politician of the ChristianUnion . First as a member of the RPF until the party merged with the Reformed Political League to form the ChristianUnion. He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from May 17, 1994 until February 22, 2007...
(ChristenUnie, responsible for primary education)- 2007-2010 Marja van BijsterveldtMarja van BijsterveldtJanneke Marlene "Marja" van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenthart is a politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal. She is the Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010.-Early life:...
(CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
, state secretary responsible for secondary education and from 2010 also responsible for science, higher education, emancipation and culture)
- 2007-2010 Marja van Bijsterveldt
- 2007-2010 Ronald PlasterkRonald PlasterkRonald Hans Anton Plasterk is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Education, Culture and Science from February 22, 2007 until February 23, 2010 in the Cabinet Balkenende IV. He has been a Member of the House of Representatives since June 17, 2010. He focuses on matters of...
(PvdA, responsible for science, higher education and culture)- 2007-2010 Sharon DijksmaSharon DijksmaSharon Alida Maria Dijksma is a Dutch politician. As a member of the Labour Party she has been again an MP since June 17, 2010...
(PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary education and emancipation)
- 2007-2010 Sharon Dijksma
- 2002-2007 Maria van der HoevenMaria van der HoevenMaria Josephina Arnoldina van der Hoeven is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal party. She is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency since 1 September 2011....
(CDA, responsible for primary and secondary education)- 2006 Bruno BruinsBruno BruinsBruno Johannes Bruins is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He was the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinets Balkenende II and III serving from July 7, 2006 until February 22, 2007. He was Acting Mayor of Leidschendam-Voorburg...
(VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science) - 2003-2006 Medy van der LaanMedy van der LaanMedy Catharina van der Laan is a Dutch politician.She was the Secretary of State of Culture and Media in the second Balkenende cabinet .- References :...
(D66, state secretary responsible for culture and media) - 2002-2004 Annette NijsAnnette NijsAnette Dorothea Sophia Maria Nijs is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . She was the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Cabinets Balkenende I and II serving from 22 July 2002 until 9 June 2004...
(VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science) - 2004-2006 Mark RutteMark RutteMark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
(VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science) - 2002 Cees van Leeuwen (LPF, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 2006 Bruno Bruins
- 1998-2002 Loek HermansLoek HermansLouis Marie Lucien Henri Alphonse Hermans is a Dutch politician and President of UEAPME.-References:...
(VVD, responsible for higher education and science)- 1998-2002 Karin AdelmundKarin AdelmundKarin Yvonne Irene Jansen Adelmund was a member of the Dutch House of Representatives and former State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science .From February 1997 to August 1998 Adelmund was chairwoman of the Labour Party .- External...
(PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary and secondary education) - 1998-2002 Rick van der Ploeg (PvdA, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 1998-2002 Karin Adelmund
- 1994-1998 Jo Ritzen (PvdA, responsible for higher education and science)
- 1994-1998 Aad NuisAad NuisAdrianus Nuis was a Dutch political scientist, literary scientist and critic, journalist, columnist, poet, and politician.-References:...
(D66, state secretary responsible for culture and media) - 1994-1998 Tineke NetelenbosTineke NetelenbosTineke Netelenbos née Tine Koomen is a Dutch politician.-References:...
(PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary and secondary education)
- 1994-1998 Aad Nuis