Secondary schools should have access to affordable alternatives and the freedom to decide whether to use printed textbooks, digital learning resources, or a combination of both, according to the Secondary Education Council (VO-raad). The organisation, which represents secondary school management, has endorsed a call by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) to ban forced bundle sales by educational publishers. The market regulator noted that students are too often forced to buy both physical and digital versions of learning materials.
The VO-Raad said schools could strengthen their purchasing position by working with teachers to assess which materials are genuinely required and used in the classroom. Schools could then purchase textbooks and other resources based on those specific requirements.
The ACM concluded that the secondary textbook market is underperforming and offers schools insufficient choices. In response, the VO-Raad pointed to NEON, a collaborative initiative formed by schools to develop independent teaching materials, as a key alternative. The first educational packages created through NEON are expected to be available for the 2027/2028 academic year.
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