“Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to students’ requests for care”

In January, the Education Council issued a somewhat contrarian recommendation on students' mental health. The Council acknowledges that student wellbeing is under pressure, but argues that we should not rely solely on student psychologists and other individual support services to solve the situation. In their view, the education system itself can also play a part.

The Minister of Education, Rianne Letschert, writes in a letter to the House of Representatives that she fully agrees with the Education Council. She believes that a “different perspective” on student wellbeing is needed, as individual, care-focused approaches place an “undue burden” on the education system.

Saying "no"
Instead, she would prefer the education system to draw on its own strengths. According to Letschert, if pupils and students receive a good education, they build self-confidence and become “more resilient and able to find their way in the labour market and in society”.

Therefore, Letschert encourages educational institutions to “move away from an individual, care-focused approach wherever possible”. If a student places an excessive burden on the institution due to complex or intensive needs, institutions must “also dare to say ‘no’ and refer them to appropriate support”.

That does not alter the fact that education can sometimes take struggling students into account. “A little flexibility in timetabling, some leeway in scheduling tests – adjustments like these can really help to ensure that a pupil or student does not drop out.”

Parents
Letschert also calls parents to order. They must help their children build resilience and learn to cope “with the pressure and stress that are part of life”, says the minister. “Discomfort and a search for identity are part of young people’s lives, and for that reason can never be entirely eliminated.”

Young people's mental health has been under pressure since the coronavirus pandemic. The school closures and lockdowns took a toll on them. The situation has improved slightly over the past few years, according to a study released in November.

According to the Education Council, young people’s mental health can also be enhanced by discussions in the classroom. Chair Louise Elffers advised in an interview that teachers should talk to students about topics such as discrimination and the housing crisis.

Minister Letschert has no plans to allocate additional funding specifically for student wellbeing, or draft new policies in this regard.