Orthodoxy to be taught in Dutch schools

Illustrative image of schoolchildren in the Netherlands. Photo: Orthodox Times

On November 10, 2025, the Netherlands officially authorized the teaching of the Orthodox faith in schools, according to the educational platform OrthodoxopSchool.nl – the organization coordinating the program’s implementation in cooperation with the country’s Ministry of Education.

Starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, children aged 6 to 12 will be able to attend classes on Orthodox Christianity in public schools as part of a three-year pilot project. To open a class, at least three students must express a desire to study the subject.

This initiative became possible after Orthodox Christianity was officially recognized as the eighth religious denomination at the national level in the Netherlands. The recognition also grants Orthodox believers access to pastoral care in the military and prisons.

Lessons will be held once a week for 45 minutes and will be open not only to children from Orthodox families but to all interested students.

According to the Orthodoxe Zendende Instantie – the body responsible for training teachers – educators must have a degree in theology, a teaching qualification, and proficiency in the Dutch language at level B2 or higher. Currently, only two teachers are accredited, but plans are underway to expand the staff and establish a methodological council.

The Orthodox Episcopal Conference of Benelux also welcomed the initiative, calling it “an important step in strengthening spiritual education and cooperation between the Church and the school.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that an old church in the Netherlands had been converted into a tennis court.

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