No national exams this year

All national exams for this school year have been cancelled, education minister Arie Slob has decided in consultation with the education sector. This will give schools more time to round off the school exams. Pupils can obtain their school-leaving certificates based on their results on the school exams.

‘We’re aware of the enormous demands being placed on teachers right now,’ Mr Slob said. ‘And pupils want to be able to prepare well for their exams. This is a far-reaching decision but it provides clarity. I want to give all pupils the chance to leave school with a proper qualification despite this crisis, so that they can start their further education without delay in the autumn.’

School exams

The national exams for the 2019/2020 school year have been cancelled. Pupils can obtain their school-leaving certificates based on their results in the school exams. This decision gives schools more time to organise the last round of school exams with due consideration for quality and safety. Schools are urged to hold the exams online where possible. They may adapt their assessment and graduation schedules (Programma van Toetsing en Afsluiting) to make this possible. The government is consulting with higher education and secondary vocational education on how first-year students starting in September can be as ready as possible for their further education, given the current situation.