Record number of pupils lose school allowance over truancy
A record 8,802 pupils lost their Flemish school allowance last school year because of problematic truancy, according to figures provided by Flemish welfare minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit) in response to a parliamentary question from Katrien Schryvers (CD&V). The figures were reported by Het Nieuwsblad on Friday.
The school allowance forms part of the Flemish government's Groeipakket, which provides financial support to lower-income families with school-age children. Under Flemish rules, families can lose the allowance if a pupil accumulates at least 30 half-days of unauthorised absence during a school year.
Most of the repayments concerned secondary education, where 6,372 pupils lost their allowance. In kindergarten and primary education, the figure exceeded 1,000 pupils in each category.
The number of repayments has been rising in recent years. In the 2022-2023 school year, 8,109 pupils lost their allowance. The increase reflects broader truancy trends. Last school year, 26,508 pupils in primary and secondary education were unlawfully absent for at least 30 half-days.
Stricter rules
The rise may also be linked to stricter enforcement. Since the start of the current school year, the Flemish government has been able to reclaim school allowances after one year of problematic truancy. Previously, sanctions generally followed only after repeated absenteeism over a longer period.
The measure is intended to encourage school attendance by linking financial support to participation in education. Supporters argue that public assistance should be accompanied by responsibilities, while critics question whether withdrawing benefits effectively addresses the causes of truancy.
Several experts have previously argued that the measure does little to reduce absenteeism and may disproportionately affect vulnerable families, where truancy is often linked to broader social, financial or personal difficulties.
The latest figures suggest that both truancy rates and the number of families affected by the sanction continue to increase.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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