Decentralisation in Education: a Dutch study

Abstract

The decentralisation policy of the Dutch Ministry of Education and Science is aimed at increasing the autonomy of schools. There is some doubt, however, whether schools are able to cope adequately with this increased autonomy. In other words, do schools have sufficient decision‐making or policy‐making capacities? A recent Dutch investigation into the relationship between the policy‐making capacity of schools and the way in which schools use this capacity, tackled this question. This study reveals that schools differ in their policy‐making capacity and their use of the scope for policy‐making. On the basis of these results, the authors advocate the need for a differentiated decentralisation policy which allows for the differences between schools. Along the line of this argument two stimulating governmental measures are explored: the self‐diagnosis of schools and in‐service education for organisational development. The conclusion of the article is that more careful thought about decentralisation will be indispensable in the coming years.