For basic education curriculum (primary and junior secondary education), attainment targets are described, which are rather broad in nature. Only for Dutch language and math, are goals to attain described. For upper secondary education, exam programs more thoroughly described. In general, focus has been on attainment of the mother tongue language and numeracy and math, but the wish for a broader view on what is important has been developing gradually in recent years. The Dutch education council supports the call from the rather narrow focus to a broader and more balanced scope of content (Dutch Education Council, 2012). Aside from the question of a narrow or a broad scope of content for basic education, the specificity of educational objectives is a key issue in describing the content of Dutch education. The broadly described attainment goals are described rather vague, leading to a situation in which these do neither support teachers in enacting the curriculum, nor harm them directly. As a Norwegian policy maker once claimed, "Teachers cry for freedom and call for specification" (Kuiper & Berkvens, 2013). This quote applies directly to Dutch teachers. Teachers do not always recognize the freedom that they have, but also expect enough clarification in order to make the right decisions. As many do not feel the curriculum as such provides enough direction, textbooks play an important role in Dutch education (Kuiper & Berkvens, 2014). Recent analysis of the current curricular state of affairs in the Netherlands (Kuiper & Berkvens, 2014) shows that many subject areas struggle with the same needs for a complex mixture of curricular space to meet local contexts on the one hand, and expected guidance from the national level on the other. Investment in curricular competence for teachers, in order to support enactment of the curriculum as it is intended. Providing support through more thorough specification and exemplification is like balancing on a thin rope. Unintentionally, it may be perceived as only having to teach a prescribed curriculum and as a form of mistrust in teacher professionalism and agency, but over-specification may be perceived as a prescriptive straitjacket that works counterproductively. Specification may incite more assessment and test-based accountability. Another important conclusion is that all education partners incorporating the essence of a curriculum in their work contributes to the success of the curriculum reform. .

Dutch Education Council (2013). A narrow focus on education. Den Haag: Dutch Education Council. Kuiper, W., & Berkvens, J. (eds.) (2013). Balancing curriculum regulation and freedom across Europe. CIDREE Yearbook 2013. Enschede: SLO. Kuiper, W., & Berkvens, J. (eds.) (2014). Curriculum mirror. Enschede: SLO.