Dutch schools failing to provide laptops for all students, widening inequality

Dutch secondary schools are failing to ensure all students can fully participate in digital lessons, as some pupils lack adequate laptops despite legal obligations for schools to provide alternatives when parents cannot pay. Schools may request voluntary parental contributions for laptops, but must offer full alternatives like loaner devices if parents decline; however, practice varies, with reports of delayed provisions, malfunctioning loaner laptops, and parents referred to charities, causing stress and educational inequality. The Education Inspectorate lacks a specific approach to enforce laptop rules, and the state secretary has declined to expand the free textbooks law to cover laptops due to high costs, leaving responsibility with schools and complaints to the inspectorate.