DutchNews.nl - School demos continue, riot police used

Riot police broke up a demonstration by up to 2,000 Amsterdam school pupils on Monday as protests over school hours continued.

Several teenagers were arrested as pupils threw eggs and rubbish bags, over-turned bicycles and smashed car windows around the Museumplein area. 'A lot of people just turned up looking for trouble,' one eyewitness said. 'It was pretty grim'.

Police were also called in to break up demonstrations in Hilversum and Breda, NOS news reported. In Amersfoort, train services were delayed as children gathered at the main railway station.

In the Hague, several hundred teenagers stood outside the parliament building and threw eggs. There were also noisy demonstrations in Eindhoven, Middelburg, Almere, Dordrecht and Bussum, news agency ANP reported.

In Friesland, where around 100 schools were involved, the protests were peaceful, ANP said.

School pupils union Laks had called on students to stay in school on Monday, ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary debate on teaching hours. On Friday, some 20 people were arrested in spontaneous walk-outs by pupils round the country.

On Sunday, the education ministry announced schools are to be given more flexibility about how they fill in 40 of the 1,040 compulsory hours of lessons for secondary school pupils.

The 40 hour concession is 'very positive' but 'not nearly enough', said chairman Sywert van Lienden. Laks plans to organise a demonstration in The Hague if its demands for a further reduction in hours are not met.

The move is a 'considerable lightening of the load on both schools and pupils,' said Sjoerd Slagter, chairman of the education council VO-Raad.

In addition, schools are to be given more money to replace sick teachers. Absenteeism is the main reason why schools often don't meet the 1,040-hour target.

According to the schools inspectorate, only one in 15 schools actually gives pupils enough teaching time. The education minister plans to fine schools which don't make the grade.

Saw this mornings events on Museumplein. Watched as the police stood back and let these kids run wild destroying peoples private property.

The Dutch police seem to be very good at checking bike lights, etc, but are totally out of their depth when it comes to taking any action. The police in this country are not crime fighters, but merely managers of public life.

By James Mansell | November 26, 2007 2:40 PM

Great preparation for the real world where working hard is (generally) rewarded and smashing up public property gets you a criminal record.

Idiots.

By Louise | November 26, 2007 7:32 PM

You must have left the scene too early and missed the best bit. TV News showed police squad using a water cannon to disperse trouble makers.

By Q | November 26, 2007 8:39 PM

I was sitting in de Kuil now known as the 420 Cafe and we heard all kinds of commotion outside. Hundreds of kids running down Oudebrugsteeg.

Then there was a CRASH and the another. First they had toppled the postcard rack at TOURIST LAND an then one of the idiots hit the 420 sign outside knocking the bulbs loose......

Back in the states we would have been outside protecting our property. It was wild to go out side to see 3 cops on horses running down the Kelverstraat at full gallop and kids everywhere just acting wild.....

By AB | November 27, 2007 12:34 AM

This is what happens when kids have everything and have no idea what work is. Sign of the times. They need a reality check and the Netherlands needs more teachers. They should be looking into why they have so few teachers. Is hard work trying to teach little princes and princesses. Was good to see the water cannons used. Grow up, school is easy wait till they have to work.

By Lee | November 30, 2007 8:22 AM