Actually, there were two petitions. One was from opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA, the other from the National Union of Students, FNV Young & United, broadcaster BNNVARA and news platform De Marker. The signatures were combined.
Even the youth organisations of government parties VVD and NSC oppose the slow-progress penalty that students will soon face if they are more than a year out of their bachelor’s or master’s programme. Colleges and universities are also adamantly opposed to the introduction.
On Friday, the cabinet will announce its coalition programme. There are no signs yet that the plan for the slow-progress penalty will be withdrawn.
