Students unite against unfair compensation: ‘It is not enough’

Many students are disappointed with the student loan plans for 2023. The government is planning to bring back the student grant, having abolished the grant in 2015. Students studying between 2015 and 2023 will receive 1,000 euros in compensation. Several student organisations are protesting against this ‘unfair’ compensation, including Studentenprotest, an initiative based in Rotterdam.

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Studentenprotest launched its campaign with a petition directed to the Dutch House of Representatives that reached over 60,000 signatories in the first two days. The petition mostly asks for fair compensation for students who have never received a student grant. Paulo Bos started the project after seeing a news report from NOS Journaal about the new student loan policy. “Students are getting 1,000 euros in compensation, which is not enough if they have 50,000 euros in loans.”

Sietske Prosman, the policy advisor for Student Protest, thinks the compensation is too low. “Not everyone can count on financial support from their parents. Everyone should have the opportunity to study and develop themselves, including the people who have to pull it together themselves. With the reintroduction of the basic grant and the unfulfilled promises made by the government, students from this generation are severely disadvantaged.”

Studentenprotest is currently working on a report that will be given to policy advisors. This report is important to create a constructive discussion about the issue in addition to other campaigns that they have done so far. Studentenprotest will also take part in the demonstration against the new policy in Dam Square, Amsterdam, on 5 February. According to Prosman, this demonstration will create an opportunity to recruit more students to join their campaign.

Verheij expresses the vision of Studentenprotest in the future where they would like to appoint new board members and make it an official student organisation focusing on politics and other social issues. “We want students to be more represented in politics, because we are not represented enough at the moment.”