Flemish education minister introduces binding Dutch language test for future teachers
From the 2027-2028 academic year, teacher training in Flanders will undergo a thorough reform. According to a new plan by education minister Zuhal Demir, all teacher training programmes will include a binding Dutch language test and there will be a stronger focus on practical experience.
There have been plans to reform teacher training in Flanders for some time, as future teachers are a crucial lever in improving the quality of education. The planned reform was also a promise included in the coalition agreement.
From 2027-2028, teacher training must better prepare future teachers for what is required in the classroom today. "Everything starts with proper teacher training. Because they have to teach our children and young people well every day. If teacher training is not up to scratch, you will have problems in every classroom," stated Flemish education minister Zuhal Demir.
There will be a number of important changes to the teacher training programmes for pre-school, primary and secondary education. The current entrance test will be replaced by a binding Dutch language test for all teacher training programmes. Students who want to become primary school teachers will also take a test on basic mathematics and French. Students who do not pass these tests at the end of their first year will not be allowed to start their internship.
In addition, teachers in teacher training programmes will also have to have practical experience in pre-school, primary or secondary education, or gain that experience through work placements. This is to ensure that those responsible for training teachers are themselves familiar with classroom practice.
The minister is also applying this focus on the importance of practical experience elsewhere. According to her, the step from training to the classroom is currently too big. “Many new teachers today experience a severe shock. They come out of training and suddenly find themselves alone in front of a class,” explained Demir. “By bringing teacher training closer to classroom practice, we are better preparing future teachers.”
The aim is also to align teacher training programmes more closely with the new knowledge-rich curriculum in primary education. Future teachers must also be familiar with the new minimum targets. That is why the structure of teacher training programmes is also being reviewed.
According to the minister, it is already clear that more emphasis must be placed on “subject content, teaching methodology and pedagogical skills”. How this will be implemented in practice will be discussed with teacher training programmes and the professional field.
#FlandersNewsService | Flemish education minister Zuhal Demir © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE
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