Kirsty McHenry | This government prefers bombs to books
It is incomprehensible that this government wants to invest in defence but not in education, argues Kirsty McHenry. “By making clear what it values, the government is shedding light on the kind of future it imagines for the country and those who will inherit it.”
Opposition to the new budget’s cuts to higher education showcases the anger that has been building in universities, colleges, and student bodies across the country. The principal anxiety behind this discontent being that the cuts send a clear message that accessible education and sound research are no longer priorities in the Netherlands. With these once respected values of Dutch society now weakened by the new budget, it is essential that we also challenge what the government is planning to invest taxpayers’ money into in their place. Given that government spending will actually increase, it is concerning that militarisation and security have now taken precedence in the budget while higher education is left out to dry.
For students, continued austerity measures and the slash of more than €1 billion from spending on higher education is emblematic of a state that is unwilling to invest in our future (or at least, the kind of future we would like to see). However, not all sectors will be quite as hard done by, in fact some are now stepping forward to claim their winnings. Notable among these is the defence sector, which is to enjoy a more than 10% increase in 2025 alone in government spending. These investments will raise the Dutch defence expenditure to close to 2% of GDP (the target goal for members of NATO). Meanwhile, the wants of those whom the government’s lofty defence initiatives claim to protect are further pushed to the sidelines.
A week from when the key protest in Utrecht against the cuts would have taken place, the government’s attention will ironically be drawn back to militarisation for the annual NEDS Arms Fair in Rotterdam. The prioritisation of the defence and security sectors while public needs, like education, are purposefully sabotaged seems indicative of how this government’s policies are deconstructing traditionally progressive Dutch values. Rather than supporting and facilitating education, the government remains committed to raising tuition fees and introducing long study penalties, the likes of which will undoubtedly cause higher education to become even less accessible. Indeed, by making clear what it values, the government is shedding light on the kind of future it imagines for the country and those who will inherit it.
Although the strong pushback from universities against the cuts to higher education has been admirable, it is not enough to just demand a reconsideration of the education policy. We must also confront where the government is deciding to direct taxpayers’ money and how it is transforming the Netherlands in the process. Without further resistance, the government will continue its plans to sink billions into its military – undermining significant public necessities, such as higher education – in order to do so. Through this budget the government has shown that, when it comes to long term investment, it does not intend to prioritise the interests of its people. However, the future of the Netherlands is not defined by governments or their budgets alone, but also by the nation itself. Afterall, as long as we fight for them, the values of the people can withstand any government.
