Education minister Jet Bussemaker is pressing ahead with plans to scrap student grants in higher education, even though this is are not supported in the senate.

Bussemaker said during Thursday’s debate on the education ministry’s spending plans for 2014 she plans to discuss her proposals with MPs and interest groups in the next few weeks.

The cabinet wants to scrap grants for master’s students next academic year and for new bachelor students from 2015. The grants will be replaced by loans.

As the plans stand at present, there is no majority support in the upper house of parliament.