Demir: School days should be full teaching days again
From next school year, school days in Flanders should once again mainly be full teaching days. Flemish Education minister Zuhal Demir says too much learning time is currently lost because of study days, evaluation days and administrative closures.
According to the Flemish government, many exceptions now lead to full days without lessons, leaving pupils at home. Demir says this harms education quality. “In Flanders, pupils receive about 11 per cent less teaching time than the OECD average. In secondary schools, that is up to 22 fewer days per year,” she said.
The government plans to tighten the rules. When lessons cannot take place, schools will be required to provide supervision on site, both in primary and secondary education. This supervision must be “educationally meaningful”. Pupils may only be sent home in cases of legal force majeure.
In primary schools, there will still be a maximum of three half-day study days, with compulsory supervision. In secondary schools, study days should no longer lead to cancelled lessons. Class councils will also be reorganised to reduce lost teaching time.
Optional holiday days will be abolished, and schools will no longer be allowed to close after elections held in school buildings. Administrative or welcome moments at the start or end of the school year must also not cause lesson cancellations. The first day of school in September and the last day before the summer holiday will become full teaching days.
In secondary education, the maximum number of evaluation days will be reduced. School holidays themselves will remain unchanged.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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