The three areas of educational activity recognized by the Dutch have developed historically into distinct and separate institutionalized sectors for educational provision for adults. These areas are knowledge-based, skill-based, and value-based. Each is the responsibility of a different governmental department and cabinet minister. Educational provision has also been influenced by the social cleavages between Roman Catholics, Protestants, and secularists. The 1970s have been a decade of advisory committees, initiatives, official experiments, and policy discussions. The three ministries involved in adult education have appointed committees to study open schools, local educational networks, open universities, and paid educational leave. Results of these committees include open school projects and 12 developmental projects to enhance further educational networks. Grassroots projects have emerged as the source of adult basic education, literacy work, discussion groups, consciousness-raising activities, refresher courses, new horizon activities for women, educational work with cultural minorities, and activities for the long-term unemployed. Three options regarding adult education seem to be available to the government: integrated, incremental, and limited policies. The emerging project policy covers the Open School Projects, experiments with local educational networks, literacy work, educational work with cultural minorities, and preretirement courses. (YLB)