# Netherlands educational curriculum updates

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/netherlands-educational-curriculum-updates
> Updated: 2026-09-06T13:01:56.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

The Netherlands has implemented new national educational core goals (kerndoelen) to address declining literacy and numeracy levels. Replacing the 2006 guidelines, these updated standards aim to link language proficiency more closely to general world knowledge to improve text comprehension.

Following these updates, the curriculum has expanded to address multilingualism. Primary schools are now encouraged to incorporate students' native languages—such as Turkish, Arabic, Polish, Spanish, or regional dialects—to help them understand complex material and prepare for lessons. While the government mandates attention to linguistic identity, the specific use of home languages in the classroom remains a recommendation rather than a strict requirement. Schools have until 2031 to fully implement these new objectives.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-06: Netherlands updates school curriculum to include students' native languages

Dutch primary schools will now incorporate students' native languages into the curriculum to support learning and understanding, marking a shift in national educational standards.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-updates-school-curriculum-to-include-students-native-languages

### 2026-08-17: Netherlands introduces new educational goals to improve literacy

The Netherlands has introduced new educational core goals for language and math to improve literacy and numeracy levels, replacing outdated 2006 standards with a focus on world knowledge.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/netherlands-introduces-new-educational-goals-to-improve-literacy

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Cite as: Netherlands educational curriculum updates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/netherlands-educational-curriculum-updates