CEB starts Thursday, CE1D and CESS tomorrow: an unprecedented climate of uncertainty

Students across the Wallonia-Brussels Federation are facing an unprecedented climate of uncertainty as crucial end-of-year exams commence. The Certificate of Basic Studies (CEB) began this Thursday, followed by the Certificate of First-Degree Secondary Education (CE1D) and the Higher Secondary Education Certificate (CESS) starting tomorrow.

The exams are taking place against a backdrop of significant teacher discontent. A strong protest movement among educators, sparked by austerity measures implemented by the Federation's government, has cast a shadow over the proceedings. While the exams are formally mandated by decree, the participation and cooperation of teachers remain a concern.

Activist groups have called for schools to cancel the exams altogether. Where they proceed, teachers are being encouraged not to submit the results to the administration. This situation could potentially affect the approximately 160,000 students involved.

However, legal provisions are in place to mitigate the impact of such exceptional circumstances. In cases of disruption, class councils are empowered to evaluate students' mastery of competencies, relying on their annual work. This ensures that students are not unduly penalized by the ongoing protests.

This year marks a new development for the CEB, which will, for the first time, assess knowledge and skills based on new common core curricula introduced last September for the final year of primary school. The CEB exams, scheduled from June 18 to 23, cover French, mathematics, science, and historical and geographical studies, with over 60,000 students expected to participate.