This is one of many aspects of the Schoof cabinet’s coalition agreement that I question.
Proven effective? Effective for what purpose? Neutral educational objectives? Do they even exist? What is the appropriate role of the government in education content and methods, especially in light of the freedom of education? And, more importantly, what does this mean for us at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, a university explicitly founded to be free from both church and state influence?
It is crucial that we continue asking such questions to each other and to politicians. Perspectives on good education are inherently not neutral. People make their choices and considerations based on their perceptions of themselves, others, and the world. This worldview, or ‘philosophy of life,’ also influences what policymakers, school leaders, and teachers consider important in education. Questions like “What should education aim for?” and “When can we speak of ‘good education’?” cannot be answered from a neutral standpoint. In this sense, all education is, to some extent, inspired by a worldview.
This is precisely why the freedom of education is so important. Students are individuals who must navigate their own paths to connect with the world and find their place within it. Education fundamentally concerns ‘humanization’: what young people ultimately do with what they are offered in education. It is the task and responsibility of education professionals to support them in this process of becoming.
In supporting this process, it is very important to approach our freedom of education consciously. Freedom of education essentially means the fundamental right for people to shape their lives according to their deepest values and beliefs. Viewed this way, the freedom of education, like freedom of religion, is a fundamental right. It provides the space for educational institutions to explicitly or implicitly base their pedagogical, educational, and organizational practices on a specific worldview. All educational institutions do this, whether consciously or unconsciously.
The fact is, however, that the underlying worldview guiding education is often not made explicit. Yet it is present, whether in the form of an unspoken dominant life philosophy within a school team or curriculum, or the uncritical passing on of values prevalent in society. I believe there is a significant risk here: the risk of silently passing (if not enforcing) a particular worldview on young people without inviting or encouraging them to relate to it in their own way. And that is precisely what is so essential in education aimed at humanization! Both the unreflective imposition of a specific worldview and the denial that all forms of education carry a worldview ultimately restrict the space for humanization. This is why I am highly cautious of education that claims to be neutral.
All education professionals - from teachers to administrators - have a pedagogical duty to contribute, from their unique positions, to creating more space for humanization, connection, and trust. Therefore, my proposal is to take the cited passages from the coalition agreement as an incentive to further strengthen our commitment to educational freedom within the VU community. Freedom of education, like democracy, requires ongoing maintenance, now more than ever.
Let us, from the diversity of voices and perspectives at our Vrije Universiteit, continue the conversation about what constitutes good education: what values are important to us? How do we view ourselves, our students, and the world around us? What is the ultimate aim of our education? It is up to us to develop education that allows future generations the space and confidence to develop as individuals. This way, they too, in their unique ways, can contribute to a dignified society in the world of tomorrow.
Prof. Dr. Gerdien Bertram-Troost
Professor of Education in Religious and Pedagogical Perspective, Faculty of Religion and Theology, VU Amsterdam
Read also: Bertram-Troost, G.D (2022). Menswording in een laag-vertrouwensamenleving. Kansen en uitdagingen voor onderwijs. Oratie, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.