Human Rights Education Associates

International experts applaud efforts of Dutch government to prevent radicalization, recommend stronger emphasis on human rights and global citizenship in curriculum

For immediate release
6 January 2016

International experts applaud the resolve of the government to address education against radicalization as part of the Netherlands EU presidency yet they call on the Minister of Education to include of human rights education as part of that agenda. Two hundred experts on human rights and education assembled in Middelburg from 17-19 December for the 6th International Human Rights Education Conference, which was opened by the Jet Bussemaker, Minister of Education.

During the conference the experts from 30 countries learned that studies reveal that there is little progress in the way Dutch schools pay attention to civic and human rights education and that they have difficulties in designing such education.

The experts were impressed by the Advisory Body on the future of primary and secondary education in the Netherlands calls for a prominent role of the rule of law, democracy and human rights in the common core of the new curriculum. They also were familiarised with the initiatives of the government to develop a learning method for trainee and practicing teachers to address human rights in the classroom, and to stimulate teachers to exchange experiences.

After extensive consultations, the experts made the following recommendations to the Minister of Education:

  • to include clear learning goals and teaching objectives based upon international experience in educational laws, policies and curricula, and to realize that human rights education forms an overarching framework on the basis of which themes such as radicalisation, racism and discrimination can be well discussed;
  • to also formalise human rights education in the learning goals at all teacher training colleges;
  • that the government promotes an understanding of human rights education as an education that involves knowledge, attitudes and skills, and that can only be effective as part of a wider human rights culture in educational institutions;
  • that the government makes use of the experiences and insights on the pedagogics of human rights education gained worldwide, including the importance of soft skills which lead to a safer learning environment.