The government is told to give primary school children a possible extra year, and a cigarette producers sells its art. Thieves get sprayed with DNA, local polls lead to headaches for two Dutch cities and we're told what's wrong with men.

The Protestant daily Trouw often hones in on the state of education in the Netherlands and does so again today. It leads with the news that the Education Council is advising that weaker students throughout the country be given the opportunity to follow an extra year of primary school.

The additional year would be for youngsters having difficulty with the Dutch language. It should enable them to move on to a level of secondary education more suited to their true potential.

Dutch school students are graded at the age of 12 and go on to vocational or more academic levels of secondary education. The council says this early streaming reduces the chances of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Trials of an extra primary school year have been taking place in major Dutch cities and Deputy Education Minister Marja van Bijsterveldt describes the results as "quite spectacular". However, Trouw points out that, even though it should lead to more highly qualified school leavers and less drop-outs, the measure would be expensive. The minister argues that "the money spent would deliver results", but is leaving any decision on the issue to the next government.

Top works under the hammer
Today's de Volkskrant has a front-page photo of the concentrated faces of telephone bidders in Amsterdam at yesterday's auction of the Peter Stuyvesant art collection. The backdrop is a large, brightly coloured abstract painting. The paper says first under the hammer was a Karel Appel gouache which set the tone for the evening, going for double the catalogue estimate.

The paintings, forming what's been described as one of the most celebrated industrial collections in the Netherlands, were put up for sale by British American Tobacco, following the sale of the company's Dutch cigarette factory in Zevenaar. The 163 top works, including Appels and Corneilles, were housed at the factory, many hanging above the machinery on the production floor.

Art world insiders had expressed anger at the sale calling it "cultural barbarism purely for profit". De Volkskrant notes, however, that the auction hall was full to bursting. It also points out that part of the money generated from the sale will be given to museums.

Watch out there's a spray about
A photo in nrc.next shows a new police notice under a traffic sign in a busy Amsterdam shopping street. It reads, "Area protected by DNA Spray", and shows a figure running from an ominous-looking shower of liquid.

The paper says a number of shops in the capital have launched a trial of the DNA sprays. A nozzle is mounted above the shop doorway and, when activated during a robbery, sprays the exiting thief with a fine, invisible liquid. This contains synthetic DNA, unique to one particular shop, which can only be removed if the body, hair and clothes are washed numerous times.

"The DNA spray is designed to prevent crime," explains Amsterdam councillor Egbert de Vries. "The signs are there to warn that the sprays are all over this neighbourhood and that thieves better not try anything here."

Local election headaches for two Dutch cities
AD reports that two former mayors of Rotterdam believe a recount is necessary following what it describes as the city's chaotic local elections last week. One Rotterdam resident has admitted voting twice. He was among the 2,500 local people who received more than one ballot paper because of a mistake at the printing company.

The paper says there were also serious errors at one polling station and that a recount there gave one local party 100 extra votes. Initially, Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb rejected the need for a general recount, but, argues the paper, more irregularities have now come to light.

Still on the local elections, AD picks up the decision of anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders to combine a local council seat in The Hague with his parliamentary career. The move followed his far-right Freedom Party's good showing in last week's poll in The Hague.

Its new high-profile councillor - Mr Wilders has received numerous death threats - will mean that security at The Hague's town hall will have to be reviewed. The paper doubts whether the two security officers who stand guard at council sessions at present will be considered adequate for the future. One less than enthusiastic local politician complains that "it'll now become an enormous carry-on".

The trouble with men
De Telegraaf has a photo of a smiling Neelie Kroes, the Dutch European commissioner, being awarded the Aletta Jacobs Prize yesterday in Groningen. The award is given to women considered pioneers in the field of female emancipation.

In her acceptance speech, she highlighted the difference between men and women, illustrating their differing approaches to the banking sector crisis. "I think women have less ego, kick in fewer open doors and don't immediately think that they have a monopoly on wisdom". Many may think her words could apply to our male-dominated political scene just as well as to banking.