Amsterdam Islamic school board ordered to fix mismanagement

State secretary Judith Tielen has ordered the board of Stichting Islamitisch Onderwijs, the foundation behind the Cornelius Haga Lyceum in Amsterdam, to put matters in order immediately. She used an aanwijzing, a formal directive and the heaviest legal instrument she has in cases of mismanagement. The ministry calls it an exceptional step.

The school in the Bos en Lommer district has about 500 pupils. The step follows the education inspectorate's finding before the summer that the board was guilty of mismanagement (wanbeheer): it had long failed to ensure good-quality education.

Why it matters

• The foundation must draw up a realistic and financially sustainable plan to improve how the board works and the quality of education.
• The board must be strengthened with two members.
• The board must report progress to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science every four weeks.
• If it does not comply, the state secretary can withhold funding.

Tielen said: "It is unacceptable that these pupils get education that falls short every day. School should be a place where you can develop and make progress. School boards have a responsibility to ensure that. This board repeatedly fails to do so. As far as I am concerned, enough is enough; improvement for these pupils is urgent."

The inspectorate had earlier rated the school's quality as very weak or inadequate at various points. It gave the board several repair orders and funding sanctions, but lasting improvements did not follow. About 25 inspection reports have been published since the school opened in 2018.

In response to the July inspection report, the school's management disputed the mismanagement finding. It said positive developments were being ignored.