{"id":166708,"date":"2024-04-18T13:56:32","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T11:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=166708"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:18","slug":"breaking-social-barriers-is-not-as-simple-as-changing-the-terms-higher-and-lower-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/04\/18\/breaking-social-barriers-is-not-as-simple-as-changing-the-terms-higher-and-lower-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking social barriers is \u2018not as simple\u2019 as changing the terms \u2018higher\u2019 and \u2018lower\u2019 education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf opened the discussion on the use of the words \u2018lower\u2019 and \u2018higher\u2019 when talking about education. EM asked readers what they thought about the issue, and that initiated a broader conversation on inequality.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShrey Khurana<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The topic of using more appropriate terms for education seems to shift towards bigger social dilemmas. The inequality in \u2018lower\u2019 and \u2018higher\u2019 education might be rooted in more than its terminology, some employees think. \u201cA change in language is never sufficient to equalise the difference in social status between different types of education\u201d, says employee Marlon.<\/p>\n

The preferred terms <\/h2>

Student Senad writes that using the words \u2018higher\u2019 and \u2018lower\u2019 links to a hierarchical positionality between different educations.\u00a0 \u201cIt is good to use terminology other than \u2018higher\u2019 and \u2018lower\u2019.\u201d Marlon agrees. \u201cA change in our language use is never a bad thing, especially if our current language use of \u2018higher\u2019 and \u2018lower\u2019 is based on nothing\u201d. A policy officer expressed their irritation with using words like \u2018higher\u2019 and \u2018lower\u2019 stating: \u201cNow it means \u2018better\u2019 and \u2018worse\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Oscar, a student, finds the change in words to \u2018practical \u2018and \u2018theoretical\u2019 \u2018superficial\u2019.\u00a0 He compares it to a similar case: \u201cit\u2019s like in the US \u2013 changing the name from homeless to houseless to solve the problem.\u201d He states that changing the used terms will just make the existing inequality in education \u00a0\u2018weird to talk about\u2019.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Benthe, an HBO student, thinks that the new terms are inaccurately representing the Dutch educational system. With regards to the use of \u2018theoretical\u2019 and \u2018practical\u2019 she says: \u201cThere is a grain of truth in it somewhere, but one cannot happen without the other (theory and practice) and I miss that in the new classification.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is this not a problem in sports, but intellectually it is?\u201d, says student Thom who approaches the issue from a different perspective. \u201cWould we change the name of the Premier League because the 6th division\/basement division does not feel comfortable with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The root of the problem<\/h2>

Student Erik points out that inequality of education begins in primary schools. \u201cHighly educated people send their children to expensive tutoring to get into pre-university education\u201d, he writes. Marlon speaks about the difference in \u2018financial support\u2019 and \u2018the facilities that different types of students receive\u2019 should also be considered when talking about education.<\/p>\n

The education stigma<\/h2>

\u201cTo think that changing the terms would solve the stigma would be very simple. To solve this, society must gain more appreciation for \u2018practical\u2019 professions\u201d, notes student Thom. It seems that the having a \u2018lower\u2019 or \u2018higher\u2019 education does carry a certain stigma that is brought about even in the day-to-day conversations. A policy officer notes a recent chat with technical MBO acquaintances. \u201cThey asked what I did, and I said that I had studied at university, and I was told that was very good and that they had not made it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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