Lack of data
As of January 1, 2021, more than 4,800 Brussels households had indeed chosen at least two different education systems for their children. Among them, 2897 had decided to educate their children simultaneously in a French -speaking school and in a Dutch -speaking school. “”These data are the latter we have on the subjectExplique l’ibsa. They are based on the census (A demographic census produced by the Belgian Statbel Statistics Office, editor’s note) Made every 10 years. It allows us to know how each household satisfies the educational obligation “.
This census is, for the moment, the only one that makes it possible to identify the number of households that live this double school year. It is therefore impossible to establish a trend over several years. These data therefore illustrate the situation before the reform of school rhythms is implemented, a reform which reduces the duration of summer holidays by two weeks to extend those of Carnival and All Saints’ Day. “”We are unable to update data but it is very likely that the number of households with a child in each school system in 2021 is a kind of maximumwe explain on the side of the IBSA. We can imagine that since the reform, part of the parents have chosen to enroll their children in schools with the same calendar “.
Towards a reform of school rhythms in Flanders? Three out of seven Flemish parties are favorable
A puzzle for some parents
For many Brussels families, this double school year can be like a puzzle. Vanessa Huyberechts is the mother of two children, one in French -speaking secondary education, the other in Dutch -speaking secondary education. “”Today my children are older, so it simplifies the situation : My daughter can stay at home while waiting for her back to school. But when she was younger, it was more complicated “explains this mother of two children. Finding an internship for the last week of August is not easy “. Despite everything, even today, this double school year is far from being an ideal situation. “”I am a teacher on the French -speaking side so I also go back to school a week earlier. It is not very cheerful for my daughter who remains alone to wait “she explains.
7 weeks of lessons then 2 of leave, the school rhythms divide the teachers: “we sometimes feel that it is the week of too much”
However, in the eyes of Vanessa Huyberechts, the main problem of this difference in school rhythm is not the starting school year. “”It is very complicated for us to organize a family vacation during Easter holidays, for example, since our vacation does not fall at the same time, she deplores. As a teacher and as a parent, I am really not convinced of the interest of this reform of school rhythms “.
This Saturday in Freethe Minister of Education Valérie Glatigny (MR), reaffirmed her desire to maintain this reform. On the Flemish side, it does not seem planned to adapt to the French -speaking calendar. The current situation should therefore last.
