The number of international children living in Eindhoven and the wider region is set to almost double in the next decade, but funding to help them learn Dutch and settle into Dutch schools is being cut, according to a report by current affairs show Nieuwsuur.

The region, home to companies such as ASML, is experiencing rapid growth, with projections showing the number of international children will rise from 18,000 in 2022 to 32,000 by 2032.

Despite the rising numbers, schools have seen a drop in funding for language teaching, Nieuwsuur said.

At ’t Slingertouw, a regular primary school in Eindhoven, the number of international pupils has soared. “With ASML, a lot of expats have come. We used to have 10% non-Dutch speaking children, now it’s over 60%,” said teacher Marjolein Brands.

Nevertheless, the budget to help this group learn Dutch has been cut from €200,000 a year to €75,000. “That means fewer teachers, and that comes at the expense of education and quality,” said headteacher Bjorn Houben.

Salto International School RISE, a bilingual primary school in Eindhoven, has grown from 24 children in 2019 to 650 now, spread across two sites.

But the school has also lost national language subsidies — worth €1.5 million a year for its two locations – to teach children Dutch. To plug the gap, Salto has doubled its annual parental contribution from €400 to €800, and is cutting back on classroom assistants. New pupils will be charged €1,000.

“The idea is that parents working at companies like ASML or Philips earn enough to manage that,” said director Krista Sijbers. “But a lot of parents don’t have those high expat contracts. And housing in this region isn’t cheap either.”

Salto’s board has written an urgent appeal to the government, warning that growth is outstripping forecasts. “How do we ensure that Brainport [the marketing name given to the region] invests not only in museums, housing and mobility, but also in sustainable, inclusive education solutions for the future?” the letter said.

Eindhoven education councillor Stijn Steenbakkers (CDA), who chairs a taskforce on regional education, acknowledged the challenge. “This is not just a local matter. The national government must also take responsibility,” he told Nieuwsuur.

Steenbakkers said Eindhoven is spending nearly €250 million in the coming years on school buildings, but that local action is not enough. Companies such as ASML are also contributing to projects in language, technology and diversity, but Houben pointed out these are temporary measures.

The education ministry told Nieuwsuur that schools received additional funding for language teaching after the coronavirus pandemic, but that it is now up to school boards to manage with the available resources. The ministry added that schools can ask parents or their employers for contributions where needed.