The government´s advisory education council has called on schools minister Marja van Bijsterveld not to cut the number of exam streams taken by pupils at academically-based high schools.

The cabinet wants to save €50m a year by reducing the number of streams from four to two. At the moment pupils can choose between two science and two arts-based streams.
But the council says reducing pupil choice will not save money because schools will still have to offer the required number of lessons. In addition, the measure may make pupils less likely to take science and technology-based subjects at university.
A spokeswoman for the minister told Trouw the council’s recommendations offer ‘valuable points’ but that it is still too early to take a decision.