Student mothers

Student mothers and pregnant students are at high risk of delays and/or dropouts combined with large student depts. The dropout of young mothers in the Intermediate Vocational Education is 50% and for Universities of Applied Sciences it is 75%. The PILP is exploring the problems that student mothers and pregnant students experience.

According to Steunpunt Studerende Moeders and Vereniging voor Vrouw en Recht (VVR), the core of the problem lies in the fact that there are no arrangements for student mothers and pregnant students. In a letter to the Second Chamber, the VVR writes that student mothers and pregnant students depend on the benevolence of educational institutions. In practice, it appears that there are no proper regulations regarding exams, schedules and fallouts of student mothers and pregnant students. There might even have been cases of student mothers and pregnant students who have been refused to participate in educational programs. This is in great contrast with regulations for athletes or disabled students.

The current practice with regard to pregnant students and student mothers could be in breach of European and international laws and regulations. The PILP is exploring this together with the Clara Wichmann Proefprocessenfonds and Steunpunt Studerende Moeders.

Updates:

• On 18 September 2015, the PILP asked the minister of Education, Culture and Science to respond to the letter of the VVR. Read here (in Dutch) the letter that the PILP sent to the minister, together with the Clara Wichmann Proefprocessenfonds, FNV Vrouw, Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad and Steunpunt Studerende Moeders.