School trips disappear as parent funding falls short

Primary schools across the Netherlands are struggling to finance traditional school trips, excursions, and overnight camps as parental contributions decline.

Research by the Jeugdeducatiefonds and the ABN Amro Foundation among teachers at 436 schools found that nearly 30% of parents can barely afford excursion costs.

Under tightened rules introduced in 2021, schools may no longer exclude pupils whose parents cannot pay the voluntary contribution. Because schools must fund activities for all pupils or cancel them entirely, budget shortfalls are forcing many to cut outings.

Surge in emergency funding requests

Applications for financial assistance to the Jeugdeducatiefonds rose to 4,441 over the past school year, up from 2,939 the year before.

In the northern school region alone, 50 funding requests totalling more than €81,000 arrived in the first week of the term.

An evaluation for the Ministry of Education found that six out of ten primary schools with high proportions of low-income families have seen their parental contribution revenue drop.

Cancelled camps and creative solutions

Several schools have already scrapped traditional trips due to rising costs for transport, accommodation, and activities.

A primary school in Strijen cancelled its annual group 8 camp, while special primary school SBO Merlijn in The Hague dropped its four-day farm camp in Brabant for groups 7 and 8.

Transport sector organisations KNV and BNV confirmed that traditional school trips using touring coaches have declined sharply.

In Rotterdam, pupils washed cars, collected empty deposit bottles, and held a flea market to raise money for their excursion, while other schools increasingly ask parents to arrange transport themselves.

Pressure on government support

Parent organisation Ouders & Onderwijs noted that some schools inadvertently or intentionally give the impression that voluntary contributions are mandatory to secure funding.

The organisation added that warnings from schools that outings will be cancelled without enough payments place heavy emotional pressure on families.

Although the state secretary acknowledged that schools in poorer neighbourhoods collect less money, no additional government funding has been allocated, prompting the Jeugdeducatiefonds to urge parliament for structural support.

Source: Algemeen Dagblad