New School Rhythms: Division Amongst Population and Political Parties

2023-10-16 04:36:00

Well-known major principles

Supported by the Minister of Education, Caroline Désir (PS), the reform of annual leave came to fruition in nursery, primary and secondary schools in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. The main principles are well known now: an alternation between 6 to 8 weeks of classes and two weeks off during the school year, and slightly shortened summer vacations.

Flemish and German-speaking schools have remained on the previous schedule. This causes difficulties for families where not all members are involved in the same system. Higher education hasn’t changed either.

Equality of “for”, “ once morest” and “no opinion”

Respondents to our survey appear divided on the issue, both in Wallonia as well as in Brussels and Flanders. Everywhere, the “for”, the “ once morest” and the “no opinion” are divided into three roughly equivalent thirds, with a slightly larger proportion, on the Flemish side, of people who do not comment.

In Wallonia and Brussels, our survey shows that it is mainly young people who find this change positive (those aged 18-24 and 25-34). In Flanders, on the other hand, it is popular especially among older people (those over 45).

In the rural areas of Wallonia, unlike the big cities and everywhere else in the other regions, the “for” and the “ once morest” are more clearly opposed. People who have nothing to say fade away in the face of 44 and 42% respectively clear opinions.

New school rhythms: the population is divided, even in Flanders ©IPM Graphics

PS voters support, MR and PTB not

The positions according to voting intentions show that PS voters support the socialist minister’s reform (50%), both in Wallonia and in Brussels. The less enthusiastic (25 to 30% support) vote MR or PTB.

More curious, in Flanders: it is the voters of the N-VA (the party of the Flemish Minister of Education, Ben Weyts, who nevertheless slows down such a reform of school rhythms) who appreciate the French-speaking change the most (up to 42%). This is energetically rejected, on the other hand, in the Vlaams Belang sphere.

On the political scene, where are we regarding harmonization of calendars across the country? Flemish voices have already taken a position in this direction, such as Koen Pelleriaux, the managing director of GO! (official education in Flanders). During a debate in the Flemish Parliament this summer, Open VLD, Vooruit and Groen were also quite supportive. But Minister Weyts sticks to his position: not now.

Lydia Klinkenberg, her colleague in the German-speaking Community, for her part, wants scientific proof of the benefits of the new French-speaking organization before deciding.

Regarding higher education, finally, there is no unanimity among the stakeholders. No changes will therefore be made, once more, under this legislature.

School rhythms: Minister Désir rules out any change to the school calendar for next year

_> This survey was carried out by the Kantar institute via an online survey from September 10 to October 9 among 436 voters living in Wallonia, 566 voters living in Flanders and 545 voters living in Brussels with the right to vote in national elections of 2024. Their representativeness was weighted according to the Belgian population according to age, level of education, professional status and province. The maximum margin of error is 4.4% in all three regions.

School holiday calendar in Flemish and Walloon schools. ©IPM Graphics

Also watch on LaLibre.be

1697434182
#school #rhythms #population #divided #Flanders