As we have seen above, over the years education has been more and less prioritized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1985 the first thematic expert on education was appointed to the Dutch Embassy in Delhi (India). This meant a significant step forward in Dutch support to education. Thematic experts put education on the map of Dutch Development Cooperation, as they could provide expert advice and support for the development of meaningful programs on education. Partnerships were developed with local-, (inter)national-, including UN and UNICEF and non-governmental organizations as well as national governments. In many countries, this made all the difference. Examples of productive partnerships are the cooperation with the Nordic countries, such as Norway (NORAD), Sweden (SIDA), and Denmark (DANIDA). The latter focused on vocational education as well. Just like Irish Aid.
Through the years, and under local pressure, the government lowered its contribution for development cooperation. “Result-based” management and efficiency became the buzz words. 4 thematic areas for development cooperation were chosen. Education fell out of grace. This had a major impact on the number of thematic education experts and education advisors at HeadQuarters in the Hague. Some did get different postings in different areas of expertise; others, who retired, were not replaced. The number of advisors went down drastically over the years. And with them the institutional memory of many programs and projects which had been implemented over the years.