In the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the MR group voted against a resolution proposed by the Parti Socialiste aiming to extend free school supplies beyond the third year of primary school.
MP Stéphanie Cortisse, Chair of the Education Committee, pointed out that the Community Policy Statement, the agreement of the new MR-Engagés Government, explicitly provides that “The Government will evaluate the free school supplies measures from the 1st year of nursery school to the 3rd year of primary school and, if necessary, adapt this measure. It will also conduct a survey involving all relevant stakeholders and sectors on the cost of school trips and outings”.
Evaluating public policies before decreeing them: that is how the new Government has decided to operate. This is part of elected officials' responsibility: rather than rushing headlong, let us first take the time to evaluate, but also to gather the views of those on the ground. The MR completely disagrees with the working method of the Left, which is illogical, premature and entirely at odds with the principles of good governance. We favour the majority's choice of “informed decisions”, to be taken later if necessary on the basis of objective and relevant information, rather than the scenario of “alibi evaluations”. Assessing, evaluating and enforcing what already exists before taking further measures: three pillars of sound management of public funds and good governance that are at the heart of the very clear mandate given by voters to the new majority.
Furthermore, MP Cortisse stressed that free provision is an obsession stemming more from dogmatism, even a religion of the Left, than from pragmatism and good governance. Indeed, nothing is ever truly “free”; in the end, someone always pays the bill, and that someone is the taxpayer. Moreover, the proliferation of free measures threatens the already precarious budgetary balance of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, and perpetuates the myth of “free” that has largely contributed to the budgetary situation we are in. Need we recall that the deficit of the French Community stands at around one billion euros and that debt exceeds 11 billion euros?
For Stéphanie Cortisse: “we must also ask ourselves whether it makes sense to burden the Education budget with blanket free school supply measures. Given the very difficult budgetary context of the FWB, which no one can deny, is it wise to invest new millions of euros in filled pencil cases rather than, for example, in staffing? Let us recall that free school supplies from nursery to the 3rd year of primary school already represent an annual budget of around €24 million. Priorities must therefore be chosen, and the MR's priority is to ensure quality education and effectively teach pupils.” There is, moreover, already an indexed back-to-school allowance granted to parents by the Regions as part of family benefits.
MP Cortisse also reminded the Committee that, under Article 24 §3 of the Constitution, it is “access to education” that is “free until the end of compulsory schooling”, and not everything remotely related to education. The MR is of course a staunch defender of the constitutional principle of free access to education, as a corollary of parents' freedom of choice: schools organised or subsidised by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation may not charge enrolment fees. However, our position does not entail multiplying free measures for activities and services offered by schools.
And MP Cortisse concluded: “Let us ask ourselves the right questions: is it up to teaching staff to handle the purchase and management of pupils' pencil cases? Doesn't that fall to parents, and doesn't it once again relieve them of responsibility?”.