The Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation adopted the programme decree accompanying the 2026 budget adjustment in committee on Tuesday.
This text, which contains no austerity measures, reflects technical adjustments designed to ensure the continuity and proper implementation of reforms already underway, and includes two positive and concrete measures that strengthen support for schools and teachers.
Sustainably strengthening schools' digital equipment
More than €8 million will be invested in 2026 in digital equipment for schools and pupils alike. The Government is thus maintaining the existing “Mes outils numériques” scheme in full, which allows families to receive a €150 voucher towards purchasing computer equipment, and is supporting schools through a solidarity fund aimed at strengthening their digital equipment.
Finally, each school will first receive a flat amount of €1,000, supplemented by a variable share calculated according to its pupil numbers. The allocation of resources is based on schools' actual needs. It takes into account not only the number of pupils, but also the number of classes and sites. Primary schools (nursery and primary) will receive 72% of available resources and secondary schools 28%. This split reflects the fact that individual equipment for secondary pupils continues to be funded as a priority through the “Mes outils numériques” scheme.
Schools that already have sufficient equipment will retain flexibility to use these resources for their other operating expenses.
This measure directly accompanies the introduction, from next school year, of two weekly digital periods in the first year of secondary school as part of the FMTTN course (manual, technical, technological and digital training).
In addition, a specific scheme will also strengthen the shared digital equipment of Adult Education, in exchange for making its infrastructure available for teachers' ongoing training.
Securing the situation of certain teachers
The programme decree also addresses a particular situation concerning certain appointed teachers who currently already work, on a voluntary basis, beyond their standard workload, namely 21 periods instead of 20 in upper secondary school, for a higher salary.
Following the increase to 22 periods in upper secondary school, applying the existing rules could have led to a reduction in pay for some of them.
The Government therefore chose to correct this situation. In practice, the teachers concerned will be able, if they wish, to continue teaching an additional period, i.e. 23 periods, in order to keep their current higher salary. This option remains strictly voluntary.
Around 1,800 teachers are affected by this provision.
“We want a school that fully prepares pupils for the challenges of today and tomorrow. That requires well-trained teachers, but also digital equipment that matches the ambitions we set for our education system. At the same time, we listened to those on the ground who alerted us to a particular situation affecting certain teachers. It was our responsibility to provide a pragmatic response, so that none of them would be penalised by a technical side effect of the reform”, concludes Valérie Glatigny, Minister of Education.