Being able to read well is important for one's development, to be able to participate in society. That is why this government continues to promote reading and literacy. As part of this, structural funds will now be available for the Library at School, rising to 50 million a year from 2028. This way, this initiative will have a sustainable future and more pupils will benefit from it. The financial injection fits in with other initiatives of this cabinet to improve basic skills.
State Secretary Mariëlle Paul (Fundamental Education and Emancipation): "Whether it's further education, finding a place in the job market or participating in society, being able to read well is essential. I have put my shoulder to the wheel - and will continue to do so. It helps enormously if schools have a good collection of books, and the expertise to get pupils excited about reading. Because reading is not only very important, it is also incredibly fun. I wish every pupil lots of reading pleasure"
Minister Eppo Bruins (Education, Culture and Science): "Reading comes in handy in everything you do. Libraries play an important role in reaching people across the country for reading pleasure and literacy. Good that they can also provide a rich reading environment for every child in schools. By investing structurally in the Library in Schools, we ensure that it becomes even easier and more fun for children to read more."
Effective approach
The Library at School is a collaboration between libraries and schools, run by Stichting Lezen, the Royal Library and provincial support agencies, to promote reading pleasure and literacy. Schools that participate have a challenging and appropriate collection of books for their pupils. Pupils can use these at school, and may take the books home. Pupils also become better readers as teachers get help from library experts in reading and media. And, of course, there is a lot of reading in these schools, preferably every day. Almost all libraries in our country now participate in the Library at School.
From research shows that primary school children who participate in this initiative enjoy reading more, read more often and become more literate. Reading also has a proven positive effect on their vocabulary and knowledge of the world.
Step towards structural money
Because of the great importance of reading and the positive results of the Library at School, the government has decided to convert the temporary subsidy of 24 million euros per year into structural funding from 2027. In 2027, €38 million will be available from the education budget; from 2028, it will be €50 million annually. These are funds that were already earmarked for this purpose. The money will be divided between schools (through targeted funding) and libraries from 2027 onwards.
With the current subsidy, the focus is on schools with a complex pupil population. From school year 2026/2027, the target group will be widened to all schools in primary education. Libraries can also use the structural funding for cooperation with childcare (BoekStart), with teacher training institutes or with secondary schools.
Measures reading skills
Boosting the Library at School is one of the measures the government is taking to promote reading among pupils, thereby improving their reading skills.
In the current curriculum update, basic skills such as reading and writing are central. This means, among other things, rich texts in Dutch as well as in subject areas such as geography, history and biology. Furthermore, the Basic Skills Master Plan provides schools with extra resources and support to improve their reading education in a targeted way. Knowledge about effective reading education is also shared. To show how important she considers reading and the pleasure of reading herself, State Secretary Paul last year started the 'Reading Room', a book club in which she discusses a book with pupils at a different school every quarter, sometimes together with the author of the book.
