THE HAGUE, 31/05/06 - There are 40 international schools in the Netherlands. Together they educate 12,000 pupils, according to figures by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

In 2004, there were 20 private and 20 subsidised international primary and secondary schools. More than 6,100 pupils received primary international education and 5,900 secondary international education. Most international schools are located in The Hague.

Private international schools have an average of 380 pupils, compared to 220 for a subsidised international school. In 2004, the 20 private schools spent 71 million euros; the 20 subsidised schools spent 42 million euros.

A pupil at an international primary school cost an average of 8,900 euros in 2004. The cost for a pupil at an ordinary primary school adds up to 5,400 euro. The cost for a pupil in international secondary education is 9,800 euros, compared to 6,600 euros in ordinary secondary education.