Making up the Gap

Abstract

A growing number of young people in the Netherlands have a non-Western ethnic background. Education plays a key role in their integration into Dutch society. Promoting participation in education by these young non-Western migrants and boosting their educational achievement are accordingly high on the Dutch education policy agenda.

This report presents an overview of the participation in Dutch education and the learning outcomes of young people with a non-Western ethnic background. It examines the extent to which they succeed in making up the gap relative to their indigenous Dutch peers. It also presents a picture of Dutch education policy for pupils and students with a non-Western ethnic background, and discusses the effects of that policy.