Education minister Jet Bussemaker announced on Tuesday she will not scrap the student culture card for secondary school pupils.

Former junior culture minister Halbe Zijlstra, now leader in parliament of the governing VVD party, planned to scrap the card as part of the government’s economy drive.

Bussemaker said in a briefing to parliament she thinks cultural education is very valuable and the card plays an essential role. She will find a total of €50m over the next ten years to pay for it.

The subsidised culture card gives students a reduction for cultural organisations such as museums and theatres.