Education: equal opportunities
In the Netherlands fitting secondary education is decided when pupils are 12. After
eight years of elementary school, their school intelligence is determined and they
need to choose a secondary school. However, it has been found true in science for
years that determining pupils’ level at age 12 is bad for pupils. A much better age to
do so is at the age of 15. Finally, the Netherlands seems to start to acknowledge this.
School intelligence determination at the age of 15 is a lot better for pupils.
First of all, the school intelligence of pupils at the age of 12 is lower than what they
are actually going to be capable of doing later in the future. That is because their
brain is still improving a lot and they will get smarter. That sounds logical because
they are young, but it could give them a big disadvantage when they are older. They
basically waste their time in a school that is too easy or too hard for them, which
could make it very boring or stressful. When their school intelligence is tested at the
age of 15 it is way more realistic, because they are older and have learned more.
This would make it easier for them to pick a fitting secondary school that will be
perfect for them instead of it being too easy or too hard. So, the school intelligence of
a pupil should be determined at the age of 15 and not 12.
Secondly, the transition from elementary school to secondary school can be really
tough for pupils. In elementary school, pupils learn the basic stuff of subjects. They
are not dealing with the harder stuff that they are going to have to deal with in the
future. When their school intelligence is already determined at the age of 12, you
know what their school intelligence is based on the kind of stuff they learn in
elementary school, but in secondary school, they learn so much more and the things
they learn are so much harder. When pupils pick their secondary school based on
their school intelligence at the age of 12, it could happen that they will have a really
hard time in secondary school, because that is so much harder compared to
elementary school. So, a pupil’s school intelligence should be determined at the age
of 15 and not at the age of 12.
Thirdly, most 12-year-olds do not know what they want to become when they are
older. Many 15-year-olds do know what they want to become in the future because
they are older and think about it more often. In the Netherlands, there are many kinds
of secondary schools. They all have in common that you have classes 5 days a week
and of course, also have tests and exams, but there are some schools that give a
specific subject more often or with more attention, because that is what the school is
about. For example, there are schools that give more classes about nature and
animals. People who are more interested in that kind of stuff will go to that school
quicker. Therefore, pupils do need to know what they want. Most 12-year-olds are
simply just too young for that. So, the secondary school should be decided at the age
of 15 and not 12, because 12-year-olds do not always know what they want in the
future which could make them pick the wrong secondary school that does not fit
them.
In the Netherlands fitting secondary education is decided when pupils are 12. After
eight years of elementary school, their school intelligence is determined and they
need to choose a secondary school. However, it has been found true in science for
years that determining pupils’ level at age 12 is bad for pupils. A much better age to
do so is at the age of 15. Finally, the Netherlands seems to start to acknowledge this.
School intelligence determination at the age of 15 is a lot better for pupils.
First of all, the school intelligence of pupils at the age of 12 is lower than what they
are actually going to be capable of doing later in the future. That is because their
brain is still improving a lot and they will get smarter. That sounds logical because
they are young, but it could give them a big disadvantage when they are older. They
basically waste their time in a school that is too easy or too hard for them, which
could make it very boring or stressful. When their school intelligence is tested at the
age of 15 it is way more realistic, because they are older and have learned more.
This would make it easier for them to pick a fitting secondary school that will be
perfect for them instead of it being too easy or too hard. So, the school intelligence of
a pupil should be determined at the age of 15 and not 12.
Secondly, the transition from elementary school to secondary school can be really
tough for pupils. In elementary school, pupils learn the basic stuff of subjects. They
are not dealing with the harder stuff that they are going to have to deal with in the
future. When their school intelligence is already determined at the age of 12, you
know what their school intelligence is based on the kind of stuff they learn in
elementary school, but in secondary school, they learn so much more and the things
they learn are so much harder. When pupils pick their secondary school based on
their school intelligence at the age of 12, it could happen that they will have a really
hard time in secondary school, because that is so much harder compared to
elementary school. So, a pupil’s school intelligence should be determined at the age
of 15 and not at the age of 12.
Thirdly, most 12-year-olds do not know what they want to become when they are
older. Many 15-year-olds do know what they want to become in the future because
they are older and think about it more often. In the Netherlands, there are many kinds
of secondary schools. They all have in common that you have classes 5 days a week
and of course, also have tests and exams, but there are some schools that give a
specific subject more often or with more attention, because that is what the school is
about. For example, there are schools that give more classes about nature and
animals. People who are more interested in that kind of stuff will go to that school
quicker. Therefore, pupils do need to know what they want. Most 12-year-olds are
simply just too young for that. So, the secondary school should be decided at the age
of 15 and not 12, because 12-year-olds do not always know what they want in the
future which could make them pick the wrong secondary school that does not fit
them.
