While school dropout figures are worrying (around 7.3% in Belgium, according to Statbel), and the pupils affected are getting younger and younger, it has become essential to intervene as early as possible when signs of vulnerability appear in a pupil. Indeed, as the Member of Parliament for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Guillaume Soupart, explains, a young person who drops out can more easily slide into juvenile delinquency.
The Minister of Education, Valérie Glatigny, has therefore decided to continue her in-depth work against school dropout, with the ambition of halving this phenomenon by 2030. Thanks to the collaboration between the two liberal ministers, a community police officer will be able to quickly contact the child's family when several negative signs appear. This prevention strategy, governed by circular PLP41 of 14 May 2026, allows for greater proactivity between the local police's school liaison officer and schools.
In addition, other proposals are on the table to better hold parents accountable in their educational role. For example, Guillaume Soupart has said he would be open to affecting child benefits when the absenteeism rate of a pupil who suffers from no disorder, illness, bullying or school phobia is too high. This idea fuels the debate around absenteeism and opens the door to discussions with teaching teams and PMS centres, who know the struggling child best.