Going together for school Policies: Education for all

 Eventhough it is a small country, Netherland’s education system has good international reputation. The government gives high efforts to increase the levels of output and quality of its higher education. The Netherland’s excellent learning culture and research climate are well designed, that it attracts international students. Thus, it present as the best option for students who seek for environment that encourage them to be more creative in their studies. The Dutch education philosophy is to encourage students to be open-minded, and able to think and learn in a creative manner. 

            The Dutch education system has innovative policy, which is to tackle the challenges in the education for the special needs. One of them is the “Going together to school” policy. 

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/23/abortion-disabled-children-care-quality-commission

source:  http://www.hollandea.org/

The ”Going together to school” policy is designed to support disabled students to have equal opportunities to study in mainstream schools.  The strategy is by establishing school clusters in which mainstream and special needs schools are grouped together. This method made the schools share the responsibility of addressing the needs of special students. In primary and lower secondary education, all disabled students work towards achieving the same core objectives, so they are able to achieve their full potential. This policy has made education become more accessible for all students. 

source: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664431/school-furniture-designed-to-help-fidgety-kids-concentrate

This policy aims to decrease the number of disabled student with special educational needs in special schools and increase their integration into mainstream schools. One issue is subject to ongoing discussion, whether or not the policy is ideal to strive for schools with a student population that reflects the current multicultural nature of Dutch society. Many schools have a population with a large majority of students of Dutch origin, but there are schools with diverse school population. The current 15% of ethnic minority disabled students primarily resides in the bigger cities. In these cities, half of the schools have more than 50% immigrant disabled students, and 30% of the schools has more than 80% immigrant disabled students.

 The Netherland’s innovation in making a powerful education policy for disabled students is remarkable. Since these students are often the most challenging to teach and the most neglected by politicians and government educational policymakers in many countries, I think it is a challenging task to design a special program policy for disabled students.  The “Going together to school” policy would help students in improving their potentials. This policy provides solution to accommodate the disabled students with a wide range of possibilities.The Dutch have learned to understand and believe that disabled people have equal opportunities to utilize and maximize their interest and abilities. 

source:  http://www.parentinginholland.com/nl/images/stories/articles/HappyColourfulKids.jpg

Its government also has succeeded to develop wider paradigm that

 people with special needs also have unlimited potentials just like the normal ones. 

This condition has motivated me to be more open-minded, and innovative. Their open and egalitarian culture, make me want to learn more about the Dutch education system.

If I have the opportunity, I really want to study there.

  

sumber gambar http://globalhighered.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/branding-globalizing-higher-education-services-in-the-netherlands/

Source:

• Thijs, Annete, van Leewen, B, and Zanbergen, M. (n.d). Inclusive Education in Netherland. Enschede: AXIS Media-ontwerpers
•   http://www.ncee.org/programs-affiliates/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/netherlands-overview/netherlands-education-for-all/