Teaching unions representing secondary school pupils are calling for industrial action against the government’s decision to increase the number of compulsory teaching hours from 1,000 a year to 1,040.

The minor union Leraren in Actie wants to add three strike days to this year’s winter holiday break, while the Aob is also planning to take industrial action, according to media reports.
At the end of November, parliament voted to expand the number of formal teaching hours to 1,040. The measure, initiated by the anti-Islam PVV, still has to be approved by the upper house of parliament, or senate.
Two years ago, the number of teaching hours was lowered to 1,000 hours a year, following widespread protests from pupils who complained the extra 40 hours led to pointless classes just to reach the target.
However, that agreement between the minister, school governors and teaching unions was never made law.