One in four Flemish pupils in preschool and primary school do not speak Dutch at home

In the 2021-2022 school year, 27 per cent of Flemish pre-schoolers and 24 per cent of primary school pupils spoke a language at home that isn't Dutch. This was revealed by Statistics Flanders on Thursday, in a report on the four so-called pupil characteristics that determine the social profile of a school.

In addition to home language, the pupil characteristics consist of how many children receive a school allowance, how many live in a neighbourhood with a high level of learning difficulties and how many have a low-educated mother.

Last school year, 37 per cent of preschoolers received a school allowance, 27 per cent did not speak Dutch at home, 20 per cent had a low-educated mother and 26 per cent lived in a neighbourhood with a high degree of learning difficulties. 

In primary education, 39 per cent received a school allowance, 24 per cent had a non-Dutch home language, the same percentage lived in a neighbourhood with a high degree of learning difficulties and 21 per cent of pupils had a low-educated mother.

The proportion of pupils with a non-Dutch home language has been steadily rising since 2012. The proportion receiving school allowance is also remarkably higher than before. This can be attributed to the widened selection criteria for school allowances that were implemented in 2019.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}