"What audacity?": The country that fines parents who fly for a vacation in the middle of the school year
Missing school in the Netherlands for a vacation leads to heavy fines of 100 euros per day per child, surprise inspections, and even investigations at airports. Testimony from an Israeli woman living there reveals how the strict system works.
Flying for a family vacation in the middle of the school year? For many Israelis, this is a routine matter, but for those living in Europe, and specifically in the Netherlands, it is a violation of the law that can be costly.
A post published by Eti Hollander, an Israeli living in the Netherlands, raises a point for thought regarding the rigidity of the local education system and its encounter with Israeli culture. "Compulsory education law is a duty, and if education is a duty, then arriving at school is also a duty," she explains. "In the Netherlands, going on vacation in the middle of the year and missing studies is something that is out of the question."
According to the Dutch law (Leerplichtwet), missing school for a vacation that is not defined in advance in the official calendar — a phenomenon known in the country as "Luxeverzuim" (unnecessary absence) — is completely prohibited. To be absent, a special permit and a signature on a designated document are required in advance.
Parents who violate the regulations are subject to a heavy financial penalty: the basic fine stands at 100 euros per child for every school day missed, and can easily reach hundreds and thousands of euros per family.
Beyond the financial fines, enforcement on the ground is particularly tight. In cases where there is a suspicion of a false report — for example, reporting an illness adjacent to a weekend or an official vacation — schools are required to report to the municipal attendance officer (Leerplichtambtenaar).
These officers conduct surprise checks, and in some cases, surprise inspections are even carried out at local airports (such as Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam) to locate families flying for vacation during school time.
"Teaches children responsibility"
The initial reaction of many Israelis to this policy is shock. "When we heard about this at first, the reaction was 'What audacity that they dare to decide about my children'," shares Hollander, but she also presents the other side of the coin:
"On one hand, the system invests a lot in the children's education, and the minimum is that the children arrive in class and do not stay home just because it is a rainy day. On the other hand, it teaches children to take responsibility and understand their commitment to the world from a young age. It takes time to accept this, but it is amazing in my eyes."
According to her, despite the rigidity, the system is not completely opaque. There are specific events (such as family weddings, funerals, or seasonal professions of the parents) where it is possible to receive an exceptional permit for absence — provided that the parents submit the request properly in advance.
