Education minister threatens to pull funding from Islamic school

Junior education minister Judith Tielen has threatened to cut funding from an Islamic secondary school in Amsterdam, the Cornelius Haga Lyceum, unless it significantly improves its exam results. The school has been ordered to appoint two additional board members, create a plan for enhancements, and submit progress reports to the ministry every four weeks.

Tielen expressed concern over the "substandard education" provided to pupils, stating that schools should foster growth and advancement. She emphasized the responsibility of school administrators in ensuring this.

Inspectors concluded in July that the Islamic Education Foundation managing the school had engaged in mismanagement and provided education of substandard quality. Over the past three years, only 35% of students in the vocational mavo stream passed their exams, compared to a national average of 91%.

The school's lawyer, Wouter Pors, acknowledged the need for improvements but attributed some issues to the government's challenges in recruiting qualified teachers. He noted that applicants for secondary roles frequently withdrew, resulting in numerous cancelled lessons.