Primary and secondary school students have not yet fully compensated for the learning arrears they incurred during the Corona crisis. Outside New search It shows that children in primary school read comprehension at the required level again. Remarkably, high school students’ English is better than it was two years before the pandemic.

But in the field of arithmetic and mathematics, it turns out to be much more difficult to catch up. Education Ministers Wiersma and Dijkgraf quote the researchers’ conclusions: “Students find it difficult to learn, are less motivated and have difficulty planning.”

In 2020 and 2021, the Cabinet closed schools twice to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Pupils have been taught online for a long time which has resulted in a huge backlog of learning which has also made exams easier.

Cabinet until 2024-2025 A total of 8.5 billion euros designed to compensate for learning gaps. Various studies are being done to determine whether the use of money has an effect.

Ministers speak of a “diverse picture”. There are positive developments, such as progress in reading comprehension among primary school pupils and improvement in lower secondary school English. But despite additional efforts by schools and those of experts, backlogs seem to have increased in spelling in primary education, arithmetic and mathematics in children aged 4 to 18 and Dutch in secondary schools.

It’s easy to clear up some backlogs by putting in more flying hours than others, according to the letter to the House. This is more difficult in mathematics, for example. If the student does not understand the basics, it is difficult to master the subsequent material.

Research also shows that schools are concerned with the well-being of pupils and students. High school girls in particular are not feeling well. They are under heavy performance pressure. Schools are trying to do something about it with special training and lessons. Students also have “persistent” mental problems.

The ministers pointed out that the impact of Corona on learning performance and mental well-being is significant. Delays continue in some areas. In their letter to Parliament, they concluded that a commitment of €8.5 billion was urgently needed.