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The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen; OCW) is the Dutch ministry of education: the position is occupied with the Dutch education policy, science policy, culture policy and the public broadcasters. The current minister is Ronald Plasterk, he is aided by a state secretary, Sharon Dijksma, responsible for primary education emancipation, and Marja van Bijsterveldt responsible for secondary education.
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Responsibilities
The mission of the ministry is to "work for a smart, able and creative Netherlands"[1] The ministry is responsible for three fields of policy:
- The whole of education, from kindergarten, via primary education and secondary education to vocational training and higher education;
- Culture, arts and the public broadcasting;
- Science and innovation.
Organisation
The ministry is currently headed by one minister and two state secretary. The ministry's main office is located in the Hoftoren, the tallest building of The Hague. The ministry has around 2500 civil servants. The civil service is headed by a secretary general and a deputy secretary general, who head a system of three directorates general:
- Primary and Secondary Education;
- Higher Education, Professional Training and Sciences;
- and Culture and Media.
It has several autonomous agencies:
- Central Financial Institution, which is responsible for the execution of financial policies:
- Institute Collection Netherlands;
- National Archive;
- Government Service for Archeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments;
- Education Inspection;
- Cultural Conservation Inspection;
- Council for Science and Technology; Policy;
- Council for Education;
- and the Council for Culture.
History
The predecessor of the ministry, the ministry of Education, Arts and Sciences was founded in 1918, as it became autonomous from the ministry of Home Affairs. It was founded as a result of the resolution of the conflict about the equalization of the finance for religious and public schools. During the German occupation the ministry was renamed Department for Education, Sciences and Cultural Conservation[2] and a separate Department for Propaganda and Arts. In 1965 the department for arts was integrated into the new Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Social Work. In 1982 this cultural department was integrated into the Ministry of Health. In 1996 cultural department returned to the Ministry of Education.
Ministers
Since 1989 the following politicians have been minister of Education, Culture and Science
- 2007-now Ronald Plasterk (PvdA, responsible for science, higher education and culture)
- 2007-now Marja van Bijsterveldt (CDA, state secretary responsible for secondary education)
- 2007-now Sharon Dijksma (PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary education and emancipation)
- 2002-2007 Maria van der Hoeven (CDA, responsible for primary and secondary education)
- 2006 Bruno Bruins (VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science)
- 2003-2006 Medy van der Laan (D66, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 2002-2004 Annette Nijs (VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science)
- 2004-2006 Mark Rutte (VVD, state secretary responsible for higher education and science)
- 2002 Cees van Leeuwen (LPF, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 1998-2002 Loek Hermans (VVD, responsible for higher education and science)
- 1998-2002 Karin Adelmund (PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary and secondary education)
- 1998-2002 Rick van der Ploeg (PvdA, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 1994-1998 Jo Ritzen (PvdA, responsible for higher education and science)
- 1994-1998 Aad Nuis (D66, state secretary responsible for culture and media)
- 1994-1998 Tineke Netelenbos (PvdA, state secretary responsible for primary and secondary education)
