Official statistics show it: in Wallonia, fewer and fewer pupils in the first year of secondary school choose Dutch as their first language. Between 2021 and 2022, they were 61,844, or 32%.
The proportion of pupils who choose Dutch is thus far behind that who chooses English (66%). This proportion has been decreasing for several years. In 2009-2010, Walloons chose Dutch and English as their second language in the same proportion (49%). In 2020-2021, this figure fell to 34% and, this year, it is still down by 2%. For the first time, we therefore see that less than a third of young Walloons choose Dutch.
How to explain such a decline? One of the main factors seems international. “Parents often tell us that with English, we go everywhere in the world. It’s a common language”reacted André Grenier, director of the education administration of Walloon Brabant few months ago.
Currently, Dutch is not compulsory in schools in Wallonia, unlike in Brussels where it is compulsory from primary school.
If a majority emerges to impose it, we will impose it
Asked regarding RTL-TVI, the Minister of Education in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation indicated that the question of imposing Dutch depended on the government. “As Minister of Education, it doesn’t seem normal to me that you can do all your schooling without knowing any Dutch at all, in a country where it is a majority national language. If we want to continue to understand each other in this country, I think we have to learn Dutch“, said Caroline Désir (PS). Regarding the possible obligation, “this is a debate that must take place in the coming weeks and months within our government, if a majority emerges to impose it, we will impose it“, she said. “But beware, a sufficient transitional period is needed for schools to be able to reorganize, and above all for Dutch teachers to be found to cope, it is a function in short supply“.
Learning Dutch is a fundamental issue for ecologists
Jean-Marc Nollet, co-president of Ecolo (one of the member parties of the government in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation), believes that Dutch should be imposed in education in Wallonia. “Learning Dutch as a second language is a fundamental issue for ecologists. We know that many jobs remain vacant in Belgium, particularly in Brussels but also in Flanders, when they might be accessible if Walloons learn Dutch. Dutch”, indicates the environmentalist live on the show It’s not every day on Sunday.
For Jean-Marc Nollet, there is also a notion of “respect because we are in one and the same country that we love very much”. “You have to be able to speak the other’s language. Dutch-speaking children in the north of the country learn French, it also seems logical to us that in Wallonia, as is happening in Brussels, Walloons learn Dutch as a second language”adds the co-president of Ecolo.
The Greens are also asking the Minister of Education Caroline Désir to“move forward on this project”.
