The Federation Parliament Wallonia-Brussels definitely approved Wednesday, March 30 the reform of school timetables. The next school year in Wallonia and Brussels will therefore begin on Monday August 29, 2022 and end on Friday July 7, 2023. Mentioned for 30 years, this reform of the school calendar aims to better take into account the chrono-biological rhythms natural children for whom too long a summer break often leads to dropping out of school.
But the new calendar of school holidays divides French speakers. The summer holidays will be shortened to seven weeks, while the All Saints and Carnival holidays will be doubled and increased from one to two weeks.
the positive is that this new calendar would allow a better balance between learning time and rest time, according to some experts. the negative point is that the holidays will no longer be the same with Flemish pupils who are keeping the current system for the time being, as well as with students in higher education.
With this reform, school holidays will no longer fall on exactly the same dates in the north, south and east of the country, which should complicate the lives of many families who send their children to school in different especially.
“This is absurd“
This is the case of Myriam, a resident of the outskirts of Brussels. The “solo mom” is once morest this reform. She explains that this will be her last family Easter holiday, as her children will no longer have their holidays at the same time. “My children are French-speaking and go to a French-speaking school on the outskirts of Brussels“. The establishment, being located in Flanders, operates under the Flemish system, she explains on the set of Cisn’t every day Sunday. “That’s the absurdity“, laments the mother.
“Ma daughter is going to start secondary school next year, therefore in French-speaking education in Brussels, while my son will have his two weeks of Easter the first two weeks of April. My daughter will be on vacation the first two weeks of May. It adds me two weeks to cover and we won’t spend the holidays anymore ensemble“, sorry Miriam. “Holidays are a time privileged to spend time with family“, she adds.
“Major impact”
Valerie GlatignyMinister of Higher Education and Education for Social Advancement explains that the reform is good “on the background“, most “it is entirely legitimate to voice concerns such as those heard“.
It is the whole of society that will revolve around the child, she specifies. “We understand that there are significant impacts“. It will therefore be necessary to listen to these impacts and continue the consultation with the other communities, believes the Minister.