Gymnasium as an elite school: a historical look at equality in education

Diederik Burgersdijk
Diederik Burgersdijk

"I think it is very important to understand education through its history. Past traditions are still affecting education today." Diederik Burgersdijk is Assistant Professor in Classics and Ancient History at Utrecht University. Using his practical experience at secondary schools, he looks at the stratification of the Dutch school system from a historical perspective.

What do you mean by the stratification of the Dutch school system?

In the Netherlands, there are many different types of education. That is unique when compared with its surrounding countries. We have different forms of prevocational secondary education (VMBO), general secondary education (havo), pre-university education (atheneum) and grammar school, the latter one being called Gymnasium. On the one hand, it is good that pupils can go to a school that suits them. But matching people with the right place for them is also a hell of a job. On what basis do you assign them? And at what age? In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the extended first year of secondary school.

How did this stratification come about?

Johan Rudolf Thorbecke
Johan Rudolf Thorbecke

The original form of secondary education was Latin school, as preparation for university. In the second half of the nineteenth century (1863), Thorbecke's Secondary Education Act added the Higher Civilian School (HBS) and later the Girls' Secondary School (MMS). The various forms of education were conceived at the parliamentary drawing board. They tried to create a special type of school for each type of child. The HBS and MMS were meant to elevate the middle class. The sciences and science subjects were mainly taught at the HBS at that time. The HBS served as preparation for the newly created Dutch University of Applied Sciences.

With the rise of science subjects, the Latin school transformed itself into the Gymnasium, which offered a greater diversity of subjects. The Gymnasium remained the exclusive entry to the university. Although the offer was broader, the focus remained on arts and humanities subjects, as grammar schools prepared pupils for degree programmes such as classics, theology, medicine and law.

How did this lead to the current system?

In 1968, the so-called Mammoth Act went into effect, abolishing the distinction between Gymnasium and HBS, as political parties wanted to create more equality. The Catholic and social dominance in politics was built upon the French idea of equality. HBS and the grammar school merged to become pre-university education (VWO), with the two currents of gymnasium and athenaeum. Additionally, general secondary education (havo), which absorbed the MMS, and junior general secondary education (mavo) were established.

There has been a lot of political pressure to abolish independent grammar schools, that is: schools that did not have an athenaeum department. Around the time the Mammoth Act was introduced, as many as 40 of the 80 independent grammar schools disappeared. These had a very difficult time due to these closures, but these schools have now regained considerable popularity. Officially they provide pre-university education (VWO) programmes with Greek and Latin included, but the schools still call themselves Gymnasia and incorporate many of the old traditions.

So why do these independent gymnasium schools still exist?

Schooltraditie van Barlaeus Gymnasium in ere hersteld door schoolfoto van alle 500 leerlingen, fotograaf tijdens het maken van een foto
School tradition of Barlaeus Gymnasium revived by a school photo of all 500 students. Source: National Archives

Gymnasia are perceived as top education and have strongly entrenched roots. Many students want to go to Gymnasia because they provide small-scale education. Combined pre-university schools are becoming larger and more impersonal for financial sake. Gymnasia in general remain small-sized, with a greater focus on personal guidance. Consequently, these schools have become very popular, with the number of grammar school students having doubled from 15,000 to 30,000 between 1980 and 2020. Meanwhile, there is a slight downward trend, mainly due to competition from bilingual education and science profiles.

Why is it important to research this?

The history of secondary education is still an unexplored field with much to discover. Studying history often puts things in perspective. For example, we learn that the idea of equality is very important, but history also teaches us how incredibly difficult it is to achieve equality. Measures to promote equality often have the opposite effect, as you can see today with the newly introduced transition test: many pupils are rated too high for their capacities. Reforming education can also lead to the disappearance of certain valuable components.

What would you like to impart on other academics?

I would urge for more attention to the history of education. There are so many untouched archives in schools. It would be very nice to explore those archives at some point. There is very little research into educational history, which is a major shortcoming.

About Diederik

Diederik received his PhD as a Latinist from the University of Amsterdam in 2010. Diederik has 15 years of experience teaching Greek and Latin at various secondary schools (both independent grammar schools and combined schools). Meanwhile, Diederik has been at Utrecht University for five years as a lecturer and plays a major role in the Master's degree in Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Diederik wrote the book "Gymnasium: history of an elite school".