Wallonia-Brussels Education Minister rejects calls to reverse austerity

Valérie Glatigny, the Minister of Education for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, is addressing teacher concerns and outlining reforms before the upcoming school year. Amid potential renewed protests from educators dissatisfied with past reforms, Glatigny is defending her initiatives.

A key reform involves introducing a permanent contract (CDI) for teachers starting in 2027. The first phase of this plan focuses on stabilizing recent graduates and career changers by offering a CDI-E, which Glatigny states incurs no additional cost. This aims to provide a stable employment structure for newly trained teachers, who will undergo an additional year of training compared to their predecessors.

The second part of the reform, the end of the traditional appointment system, is projected to cost around 400 million euros by 2070, depending on employer contribution rates. Negotiations with the federal government regarding these contributions are ongoing. Glatigny stressed that while she supports ending the appointment system, she is unwilling to further burden the federation's finances after recent efforts.

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If the demand is to return to the savings, the answer is clear: no.

Glatigny clarified that the CDI-E for new entrants does not increase recruitment numbers but ensures a stable workload and reduces the uncertainty faced by teachers who are not yet appointed. She highlighted the precariousness of early-career teaching, often involving short-term replacement contracts, which the CDI-E aims to eliminate. This instability is a significant factor contributing to the profession's declining attractiveness, with many school administrations reporting teacher shortages.

Responding to demands for increased spending, Glatigny firmly stated, "If the demand is to return to the savings, the answer is clear: no." She emphasized that the reforms do not involve savings in student supervision and rejected the notion of reversing austerity measures, indicating that the focus remains on financial stability for the education sector.

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We are not increasing the number of recruitments. We are just ensuring them a stable workload and anchoring them in the profession by removing the uncertainty that exists for those who are not appointed.