French-Speaking Belgium's School Year Starts Amid Teacher Protests Over Austerity

The start of the school year in French-speaking Belgium is marred by uncertainty, frustration, and protest as educators and students push back against austerity measures. A strike notice remains in effect until the end of September, and at least one school has already begun striking. This unrest follows significant protests last school year, which led to weeks of canceled classes and disrupted exams. A collective of teachers, students, and parents, known as Mars Attacks, has voiced ongoing anger, stating, "Our anger was not on vacation, but it is still here."

The most contentious measure requires teachers in the final years of secondary education to teach 22 hours per week instead of 20, without a pay increase. Exceptions are made only for those over 60 or teaching their first year. This change is expected to create a ripple effect, prioritizing permanent teachers for full timetables and potentially reducing hours for less experienced educators, leading to the loss of approximately 1,300 full-time teaching positions. While the French-speaking Minister of Education, Valérie Glatigny, acknowledges complex situations for some teachers, she asserts that over 2,000 teachers retiring annually ensures sufficient job availability. However, the socialist union disputes this, fearing that over 6,000 teachers could lose hours and struggle to secure full-time schedules.

Beyond the increased workload, other measures are also drawing ire. The cost of higher education is rising for students, and the provision of free basic school materials for primary students will be reduced. The protest group Mars Attacks plans further actions in the coming weeks, aiming to first assess the impact of the savings on the ground before disrupting the initial school days. The ongoing discontent highlights deep-seated concerns about the future of education in the region.

“

Our anger was not on vacation, but it is still here.