Sander Dekker


Sander Dekker is a Dutch politician serving as Minister for Legal Protection in the Third Rutte cabinet since 26 October 2017. A member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, he previously served as State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science in the Second Rutte cabinet.

Biography

Early life

Dekker was born in The Hague. He went to primary and secondary schools in Zoetermeer. He studied public administration at Leiden University.

Politics

Dekker served as State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in the Second Rutte cabinet, dealing with higher education, science and knowledge, teachers and culture, between 5 November 2012 and 26 October 2017. He previously served as an alderman in The Hague from 2006 to 2012. He was responsible for Education, Youth and Sports until 2010 and Finance until 2012.
In July 2015, Dekker submitted to the States General a proposal to change two aspects of the freedom of education law:
  1. Not to demand that new schools represent an ideological direction, such as a religion. New schools could be based on an idea for good education, for instance IT-based education, green schools, or other innovative concept, as long as sufficient interest exists for such a system.
  2. To introduce more severe quality controls. Freedom of education should not be a license for bad educational systems.
Since 26 October 2017, he has been Minister for Legal Protection, in charge of fr Privacy Policy, Youth Justice, Copyright Law and Prevention.