History of mathematics education for girls in the Netherlands

In 1863 the Dutch government introduced subsidized secondary schools, meant for boys, with an emphasis on sciences and mathematics. The question of the need and suitability of mathematics for girls was much debated. Co-education was seen as undesirable, nevertheless, a minority of girls received permission to enroll at the boys' schools. Secondary schools for girls became popular, mostly with a curriculum that emphasized languages and no national examinations. Some girls' schools offered the same curriculum as those of the boys, with the same diploma. After standardization of co-education in 1968, girls came to be perceived as a problem, for not choosing mathematics and sciences. Female mathematics teachers pointed out that probably, the girls were not the problem, but the mathematics curriculum and the way it was taught. This point of view was one of many factors increasing the participation of girls in mathematics.