Secondary Education Act

The Secondary Education Act (WVO), also known as the Mammoth Law, was enacted in 1963 and came into force on 1 August 1968. Below are a number of key points in this law:

The existing types of general education (MULO, MMS, HBS/Gymnasium) were replaced by MAVO, HAVO and VWO (the latter including Atheneum and Gymnasium);
The duration of studies was extended from 5 years HBS to 6 years Atheneum;
The so-called brugklas (bridge year) construction was introduced as the transition year from primary to secondary education;
A possible transfer from MAVO with diploma to HAVO-4 and from HAVO with diploma to VWO-5 (stackable diplomas);
From this point forward, lower vocational education was counted as secondary education;
Compulsory school attendance was extended by one year to a total of nine years.

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