Education Minister Marja van Bijsterveldt is sticking to her decision not to make education about homosexuality compulsory in primary and secondary education.

During a debate in parliament, the minister said she was willing to make educational material on how to broach the subject in class available to teacher training colleges. The minister said it would be a missed opportunity if teachers were too shy to discuss sexual orientation.

Ms Van Bijsterveldt said schools had plenty of leeway to pay attention to sexuality, and she wanted to stop education on other issues becoming mandatory, such as obesity and how to manage money.

LGBT rights organisation COC chair Vera Bergkamp said it was incomprehensible that the minister should stick to her decision: “As minister she should be able to say that she has done everything she could about this problem. In this case she must overcome her own dilemma in the interest of young people.”

(gsh/nc)

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