The budgetary efforts are paying off: the finances of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation are improving and the deficit is shrinking, in line with the trajectory set by the Government. The aim remains to stabilise this deficit at 1.2 billion euros by 2029. This budgetary course also makes it possible to reinvest in education: Valérie Glatigny has secured additional resources to support pupils, adapt schools to heatwaves and improve staff working conditions.
The Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation reached an agreement on this 2027 budget on Friday 9 October. As announced, this exercise did not involve any new savings measures in education.
“Rigorous management of our budget is the guarantee that we can reinvest as quickly as possible in the quality of our education, for the benefit of our pupils,” the Minister of Education stressed.
There will also be a commitment, at the next conclave, to adopt a common legal basis with the Walloon Region, known as the “golden rule”, to strengthen sound budgetary management so as never again to find ourselves in the budgetary situation experienced in the past.
Supporting pupils in the second and third years of secondary school
A total of 14 million euros is planned by 2029 to organise personalised support for pupils in the second and third years of secondary school. These additional resources reflect our commitment to improving the quality of our education and consolidating pupils’ basic learning.
This will make it possible to extend personalised support (already provided in primary school and the first year of secondary school) throughout their secondary school journey.
Schools better adapted to heatwaves
A call for projects entitled “Shade”, with a budget of 13 million euros, will be launched in 2027 to enable schools to adapt their lessons and buildings to periods of extreme heat.
Greening, the installation of blinds or other arrangements providing more shade: these measures will help improve pupils’ learning conditions and the working conditions of education teams.
A gradually extended adoption leave
Adoption leave for education staff will be gradually increased. Currently limited to six weeks, it will be extended to nine weeks in 2027, ten weeks in 2028 and eleven weeks in 2029.
This progress will give the parents concerned more time to welcome their child.
Ending unequal treatment between heads of special needs schools
Some heads of special needs schools did not fully benefit from the pay revaluation designed to guarantee a salary 25% higher than that of a teacher. This measure will correct this unequal treatment so that all special needs school heads can benefit from it.