Netherlands Authorizes Teaching of Orthodox Faith in Public Schools

Schoolchildren in the Netherlands. Photo: Orthodox Times

THE HAGUE — Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, children in the Netherlands will be able to study Orthodox Christianity in public schools, marking the first time the faith has been formally included in the national education system.

As reported by UOJ-Ukraine, the educational platform OrthodoxopSchool.nl, which is coordinating the rollout in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Education, will offer classes as part of a three-year pilot project for students aged 6 to 12. A minimum of three students is required to open a class.

The initiative follows the Dutch government’s official recognition of Orthodox Christianity as the country’s eighth religious denomination, granting Orthodox believers access to chaplaincy services in the military and prisons.

Classes will take place once a week for 45 minutes and will be open to all interested students, not only those from Orthodox families.

Teacher training and accreditation are being overseen by the Orthodoxe Zendende Instantie, which requires instructors to hold a theology degree, a teaching qualification, and Dutch language proficiency at level B2 or higher. At present, two teachers are certified, with efforts underway to expand staff and create a methodological council.

The Orthodox Episcopal Conference of Benelux welcomed the development, calling it “an important step in strengthening spiritual education and cooperation between the Church and the school.”

Previously, UOJ reported that Pat. Daniel of Bulgaria had defended religious education in schools.

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