The Easter holidays for young Dutch speakers in the country will begin on Monday, April 3 and will last for two weeks. However, French-speaking schoolchildren will have to wait until May to have their next vacation. Due to the reform of school timetables last September, the two linguistic communities will not have their Easter holidays at the same time for the first time. This asymmetry may concern parents of children educated in both communities. Mathilde Vandorpe, MP, believes that French-speaking teachers have no solution to keep their children in school in Flanders, and families with children schooled in both Dutch-speaking and French-speaking education are facing difficulties in organization. Some families may find it challenging to find internships for their children. Nearly 90,000 children may be affected by this discrepancy. Vandorpe wishes that they might keep at least one week of joint holidays with the Flemish community.
This Monday April 3 will mark the start of the Easter holidays for young Dutch speakers in the country, who will be able to take advantage of two weeks off. French-speaking schoolchildren will have to wait until May to take advantage of their next vacation. For the first time, due to the reform of school timetables which came into force last September, the two linguistic communities will therefore not take advantage of their Easter holidays at the same time. An asymmetry which risks worrying the parents of children educated in the two communities, but not only.
“French-speaking teachers have no solution to keep their children in school in Flanders and families whose children are schooled for some in Dutch-speaking education and for others in French-speaking education face real difficulties in ‘organization”believes MP Mathilde Vandorpe.
“I received the testimony of a family whose father will have to take leave at the same time as his children schooled in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation while the mother will have to take leave at the same time as the children schooled in Flanders. It’s nice for family life!”she continues.
For these families, finding an internship can be complicated. “Flanders has not adapted its internship offer. Pupils living in Mouscron for example but who go to school in Flanders while following courses and activities on the French-speaking side will not be able to play with their usual football team”illustrates the deputy.
According to her, nearly 90,000 children would be affected by this discrepancy. “In some families, it takes a lot of organization. D systems are set up. I would have liked us to keep at least one week of joint holidays with the Flemish community until all the calendars agree.
The lack of synchronized Easter holidays for Dutch-speaking and French-speaking schoolchildren in Belgium is causing some logistical headaches for parents and students alike. While Dutch schools will be closed for two weeks beginning April 3, their French-speaking counterparts won’t break for another month. This discrepancy can make arranging internships, extracurricular activities, and family time difficult. Over 90,000 students and their families will be forced to navigate these challenges. While Belgian authorities are unlikely to change the school calendar mid-year, some are hoping that future schedules will align more closely to make things easier on everyone.
