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Ethnic Hostility among Ethnic Majority and Minority Groups

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5. Trends in <strong>Ethnic</strong> Educational Inequality | The Dutch educational system<br />

We claim to contribute to the scientifi c literature in several ways. A detailed description of<br />

the trends in fi nal educational attainment <strong>and</strong> educational transitions both across <strong>and</strong> within ethnic<br />

generations in which educational levels <strong>and</strong> (vocational <strong>and</strong> general) tracks are not aggregated <strong>and</strong><br />

net associations are being modelled is missing in the Netherl<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> internationally scarce. We<br />

aim to fi ll this lacuna in the scientifi c literature on ethnic educational inequality <strong>and</strong> will describe<br />

in detail how different birth cohorts of the multi-ethnic Dutch society have been divided by their<br />

fi nal level of education. This description will also tell us whether the distinction between general<br />

<strong>and</strong> vocational educational plays a role in ethnic educational inequality. Furthermore, we aim to<br />

explain educational transition decisions for different birth cohorts at different branching points<br />

in the educational career. In doing so, we link the scholarship of ethnic educational inequality<br />

to the current literature on class-based educational inequality. Moreover, we aim to contribute in<br />

the discussion on Maximum Maintained Inequality <strong>and</strong> Effectively Maintained Inequality, <strong>and</strong> test<br />

their propositions in a multi-ethnic context.<br />

5.2 THE DUTCH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM<br />

The many decision points <strong>and</strong> the possibility to reach a level of education by different routes<br />

are characteristic features of the Dutch educational system. Until 1999, Dutch students could<br />

choose between four different educational tracks after they completed primary school (see Figure<br />

5.1). A decision had to be made whether to start a vocational education (LBO) or to continue<br />

general education at a low, medium or high level (respectively MAVO, HAVO, VWO). One may also<br />

start a vocational track at a later point in the educational career; after having fi nished a general<br />

education. Tertiary education consists both of higher vocational education (HBO) <strong>and</strong> university.<br />

The vocational track is regarded as the less selective track compared to the general track. Full-time<br />

education is obligatory for students aged between 4 <strong>and</strong> 16. Students aged between 16 <strong>and</strong> 18<br />

are only partially obliged to follow an education. We would like to point out that only the second<br />

generation immigrants have been subject to the complete Dutch educational system.<br />

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