The government’s get tough policy on school leaving exams will cause 18,000 more pupils to fail and girls will be harder hit than boys, the education council VO said on Monday.

From next school year, everyone taking their school leaving certificate will have to have an average of at least 5.5 out of 10 for the national exams.
A school leaver’s final result is currently based on a combination of course work, school exams and national exams, so pupils who score well in course work and school tests but not in the central examinations can still pass.
In addition, pupils in pre-college (havo) and pre-university (vwo) education will have to pass two of the three core subjects: maths, Dutch and English.
The changes mean some 12,200 havo pupils will not pass their school leaving certificate, compared with 4,100 at present, the council says. The total fails among vwo pupils will rise from 4,100 to 7.200.
The VO council says the tougher rules are realistic but warns the number of changes being brought in to higher education at such speed will hit a large number of pupils.