Education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf wants an end to the use of terms such as “high” and “low” levels of education, saying the terms are both subjective and a hindrance to the development of talent.

There is strong demand for people with a more practical education, particularly in healthcare, education and technology, Dijkgraaf said in a briefing to MPs and in a letter to future students.

At the same time, such courses are unpopular because having a “higher” level of education gives status and opens doors, he said. Yet the pressure to go for the highest possible level of education can create stress, he said.

Instead, he said, he wants to encourage youngsters to go for the option that best fits their wishes and their skills.

“We need every talent,” he said. “By treating further education as a range of options, in which different educational streams operate side by side, we can achieve a number of important goals. For society, the labour market and especially for students themselves.”

The Netherlands has three types of further education – university, hbo college, and mbo or trade school. Almost 50% of Dutch youngsters attend a trade school or mbo college.

Youngsters attending mbo colleges have recently been given the right to student loans and discount travel but by law are still largely excluded from the cheap internet services and sports club deals which companies use to lure in youngsters. They are also often refused entry to official student bars and cafes.

This distinction also needs to be brought to an end, Dijkgraaf said.

Earlier this month it emerged that student funding body Duo was more likely to single out vocational college students for fraud checks.