Drastic Changes To Assimilation Courses (The Netherlands)

Drastic changes to assimilation courses

Expatica News
22 August 2007

AMSTERDAM Integration Minister Ella Vogelaar wants to bring about drastic changes to the assimilation policy as implemented by former minister Rita Verdonk. Her draft proposal that forms part of the “Delta plan for Assimilation” will soon be discussed in the cabinet.

Public broadcaster NOS has announced this. The current assimilation course is not having the desired effect. Participants make little progress, if any, and half of them fail to reach the required level.

Vogelaar thinks that it is only useful to teach people Dutch if they will be using it immediately in everyday life. An internship, job or volunteer work should therefore be a requirement, she says.

The course should also be free of cost.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Dutch news