Cultural education with quality (Cultuureducatie met Kwaliteit ‘CmK’)
The aim of the measure is: ‘to let children profit from quality cultural education in which they enjoy their education while learning important 21st century skills’.[1] In other words: to help develop children into creative and critical adults. Students should be in contact with music, dance, drawing, theatre and cultural heritage during their entire primary school career. [2] This measure is targeted at primary schools. An important aim of this measure is to give cultural education a stronger basis in the primary school’s curriculum. Other measures aim at boosting musical education in primary schools, coordinated by the Fund for Cultural Participation, and the training of music teachers in teacher training institutes.
Another noteworthy arrangement executed by The Fund for Cultural Participation is specifically targeted at younger students in vocational education. This intends to stimulate the collaboration of TVET-schools and cultural institutions. Minister Bussemaker allocated extra funding until 2020 to increase dispersion and to secure the position of culture education in TVET in collaboration with municipalities.
CmK improves cooperation between schools and cultural institution and the knowledge and skills of teachers. Stimulating cultural education is not only the responsibility of the government; the effort of different parties from the cultural field and education such as local municipalities and provinces, is equally important,.[1] Projects are funded in a matching structure, where national and local government jointly provide funding.
[1] Ibid.
The focus in 2017-2020 will be on four different areas.
- Improving the quality of cultural education.
- Schools will have ownership of cultural education.
- Cultural education needs to become an integral part of the school’s curriculum.
- Closer cooperation between schools and the direct cultural environment.[1]
[1] Ibid.
39 million euro from the Dutch government for the period 2013-2016, in which 54 different projects were financed.
In the period 2015-2016, roughly 60% of all primary schools joined CmK, 36% of all primary school students took part in at least one of the cultural activities organised by CmK.[1] The measure will be continued for 2017-2020.