the ministry s main functions in education system evaluation are the development of tools to monitor the performance of the education system eg indicators framework national student assessments cohort studies the promotion of evaluative studies of particular aspects of the education system eg policy and programme evaluation and the use of evaluation results for decisionmaking and policy development the dutch constitution entrusts the inspectorate of education with the preparation of an annual report on the state of education in the netherlands overall the inspectorate is responsible for reporting publicly on the education system as a whole providing information for policy development and supplying reliable information on education in consultation with the ministry of education culture and science it also engages in policy evaluations and contracts research and analysis on specific aspects of the education system