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[Unholy Rukia]

Kinda! As I've understand, they base your "career" on the grades you have in 6th grade. If you got low grades you have to study like industrial stuff. Higher grades is "better" jobs.
I think Tim can explain it better though

[Tim]

Ehm, it depends on what score you get on a test when you are 12.

The highest scores go to the highest secondary education, mid scores to medium and lowest scores to lowest. Only the highest secondary education level can go directly to University. The other two levels will go to so-called job oriented education (higher and lower level respectively).

[Trashy Rashy]

Why make it so complex? Just install a lottery ffs.

[Tim]

Nah they select for talent at a young age. Doesn't work 100%, but for the majority it works.

[Trashy Rashy]

It's not the thing with different schools aiming for different levels of quality which troubles me. It is that after this test, there is no way of you to change from one level to another. A lot of things can happen those years, be them negative or positive.

The difference between education in Sweden (which is more similar to the rest of the world) and the Netherlands is that in Sweden these tests occur all the time. They are constantly replaced with a more updated version and they always give you the opportunity to improve. There are things which are irreversible, like the scores you received which will appoint you to university/high school. But they are established the year before the year you begin.

Also, just being curious, which level are you on?

[Tim]

If you score straight A's on the lowest level you can go up. A friend of mine started in the lowest and ended up in the highest. So changing is possible. Also:

Lowest: 4 years of highschool
Middle: 5 years of highschool
Highest: 6 years of highschool

After you finished middle you can do 2 years of highest to get into university. Or after finishing lowest you can do 2 years of middle, 2 years of highest to get into university. (Alternatively you can do 2/4 years of job oriented education to get into university)

So there are many ways, but any of them depends on hard work and dedication.

Also, my level was above highest. I did highest level with Ancient languages 'addon' and bilingual 'addon' which meant all my classes were taught in English instead of Dutch, except for languages obviously.

[Trashy Rashy]

Jeez... nerd?


Well, it seems quite inefficient, but once you explained it, it doesn't seem so alien. Perhaps it is questionable to lay much demand on children at a certain age. There is a wide difference in maturity which can, and will, have an affect on studies. Not to mention myself. The system seems far more efficient (altough, possibly expensive) than the army->university alternative.

As for bilingual education, which I've been involved in to a certain extent is always nice. Integrates societies, be it western or eastern (should put more focus there).

[Tim]

Well, at times it is rather irritating to be smart. I tend to care about too many things.

I agree that it is a bit of a young age to decide these things, but it does however stimulate young children to start thinking about their future, which in my opinion is great. If you remember that by the age of 18 you need to have your entire future thought out.. well.. in that case early orientation is not that bad.

[Trashy Rashy]

Seems like quite an organized society the Netherlands is, from what I am hearing. Yet I believed that the Netherlands are very conservative and open-minded to own decisions. A constant educational system does not really apply to such an ideology, in my opinion.

As for being smart, it is a true burden. I should know.
The last two months or so, some of my friends have pointed out that I am becoming more of a Besserwisser, if the world exists in any other language than Swedish. It was imported from the German language and literary translated would be:
Besser - Better
Wisser - A person who knowns better

[Tim]

Besserweiser in German probably and a Beterweter in Dutch. The Swedish words dates from the time that the Dutch used to build cannons in Sweden, probably. As do many Dutch/German words that exist in the Swedish language.

[Strazdas]

well in my opinion this system isnt great. when i was 12 my marks barely got me over the ege for next semester, now i have fully goverment financed university studies (which isnt easy to reach here, espcially after the crysis "cut educational budget"). if such system were here id be much far off now. in my opinion peope at the age of 12 shouldnt be forced to plan thier whole life ahead, this is pretty stupid thiking that a 12 year old can plan his whole life. even at 18 i wasnt sure where i would be heading. some people have plans from young age, and thats commendable, but not everyone wants to plan their whole life when they are kids. things change, times change.
Well the dutch i met werent bad people so i guess it works for them.