I'm from the Netherlands and this story is not entirely true. This kid has been given a highly customized program where he didn't have to complete massive amounts of coursework that normal students have to complete. While I find it nice that a university provides this opportunity at the same time I also find it a largely unfair to other bachelor students that have to go along with the normal long program.
It's a 3 year program that I believe the average student could do in at least half the time if they where give the same freedoms this boy has been given.
As someone who actually got the same degree at the same University as thd kid, I can confirm this is true. The amount of coursework he skipped is relatively high (every group project, some mandatory non-engineering subjects, at least totalling to 45 ECTS on top of my head) and the freedom he got when doing courses is unprecedented: no mandatory attendance and only oral examinations.
A 14 year old girl started the same program around 2006, she did do the full, regular coursework.
It's a 3 year program that I believe the average student could do in at least half the time if they where give the same freedoms this boy has been given.