Hi Kurano, what problem would you most like to solve today?

'In the Dutch education system, a lot of things are going wrong, and these problems are not being addressed. You can see this reflected in politics too: we no longer have a Minister for Secondary and Primary Education, but a State Secretary instead. That shows how, as a society, we view education, and that’s a real problem.'

'I also see this in the workplace. For example, I come across students with a recommendation for HAVO (senior general secondary education) who are actually capable of easily handling the gymnasium (classical high school). At the same time, there are students with a VWO (pre-university education) recommendation who are far more motivated for a VMBO (pre-vocational secondary education) or HAVO programme.'

'The education system is also very level-focused. You can see that just from the length of the programmes: VMBO takes four years, while VWO takes six. However, some students really benefit from trying different things and switching between types of education, or even stacking qualifications. I would say: give them as many opportunities as possible.'

What inspired you to establish a gymnasium in Zuidoost?

'It simply didn’t exist there yet! And I suspect policymakers have always said: a gymnasium in that part of the city won’t work. It’s a neighbourhood with a low socio-economic status, so they probably thought students wouldn’t be interested.'

'But children aren’t, on average, less intelligent just because they live in a different area. So you can’t say there’s no demand if you’re not even providing the option. Children from Zuidoost who wanted to attend a gymnasium had to travel 45 minutes by metro to school and then 45 minutes back again. That makes it very inaccessible.'

'The principal of the school where the gymnasium was founded was a former colleague of mine from Vossius and asked me to help think it through. Now I work at both schools: Vossius and the new gymnasium department at the Ir. Lely Lyceum.'

What do you find most valuable about learning classical languages and cultures?

'Especially the stories from classical antiquity, precisely because they were written so long ago. If you look closely, you can also gain insight into modern society and understand patterns between people much better.

Take, for example, the story of Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus from Greek mythology. It’s about a fifteen-year-old girl who defies the laws of the city because, in her view, they don’t align with her own ethics.

The struggle she faces can also be recognised in people today who fight for a just cause and the resistance they encounter. Knowledge from antiquity is incredibly valuable for drawing comparisons with current events.'

What are you most proud of?

‘I had the honour of awarding Amsterdam Zuidoost's very first classical high school diploma at the end of July. It’s quite remarkable, as I only started setting up the school five years ago. This student completed a 6-year programme in 5 years. Of course, I contributed a little bit, but the student did it all themselves. I find that wonderful to see.’ 

What tips or advice do you have for UvA students today? 

‘Let yourself be inspired by everyone at university. Your lecturers, of course, but also your fellow students and everyone who works at the UvA – from administration to the doorman. They will inspire you for the rest of your life.’