Number of pupils in Islamic schools of Netherlands grown by 60%, study finds

A Muslim schoolgirl. Photo: Shutterstock

On June 18, 2026, documenting the rapid growth of Islamic education in the Netherlands: between 2009 and 2019, the number of students attending Islamic primary schools increased by 60%, and by the beginning of 2025, these schools were educating 20,700 children, reports NieuwRechts.

The study states that growth is continuing: over the subsequent five years, the number of pupils in Islamic primary schools increased by a further 23%. In 2026, nine new Islamic primary schools are set to open across the country, including in Arnhem, Gouda, and Groningen, after which the total number of such educational institutions will exceed one hundred.

One of the reasons cited for the increase in the number of Islamic schools is the lowering of the threshold for opening new educational institutions. The authorities explain this as a pursuit of greater diversity in education; however, the study notes that such a policy strengthens a separate religious stream within the school system.

Islamic schools receive state funding. According to estimates, with an average level of support of more than 7,000 euros per pupil, the budget expenditure for 20,700 children in Islamic primary schools amounts to approximately 144.9 million euros per year.

The study also points to the growth of informal Islamic education — evening schools and weekend schools — which largely remain outside the oversight of the Education Inspectorate. The authors of the report believe that such a system contributes to the formation of a parallel educational environment and call on the authorities to reconsider state funding for religious schools.

The UOJ previously reported that the Evangelical Alliance urges Christians to preach among Muslims.

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