Last 15 February, the MR Group of the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation held a morning of reflection on the subject. The need for this reform is undeniable, but it will have multiple effects, both for those working within schools and for the sectors surrounding schools.
The speakers present talked about the need for this reform to improve pupils' well-being and learning, but also to reduce inequalities. It is indeed included in the plans of the Pact for Excellence in Teaching. One possible source of inspiration could be the Estonian model mentioned by Bruno Humbeeck, a renowned psycho-pedagogue and speaker at our morning of reflection, who advocates a reorganisation (rather than an extension) of school time, taking into account the moments when children's brains are most receptive and their attention is at its peak.
But the main question raised throughout the morning was how to implement this reform. First of all, it is essential to involve head teachers, teachers, pupils, parent representatives and the main partners concerned (ONE, EDD, ATL, etc.) in examining the various possible scenarios.
Not waiting 20 years
“I am aware that this is a large-scale undertaking, but it is crucial not to wait 10 or 20 years to make progress, especially given the poor performance of our education system. A recurring request from stakeholders is to first give schools the flexibility needed to set up pilot projects and thus identify good practices that could be incorporated into the future reform. Moreover, the King Baudouin Foundation has already, in the first phase of its feasibility study, identified practices on the ground and listed a series of objectives and proposals, as well as levers and obstacles, which will inevitably need to be part of the discussion in the coming months. A dossier definitely worth following!”, states Diana Nikolic.
The aim of this morning was to engage in a calm debate on the issues of feasibility, in the interest of the quality of education and pupils' well-being. This objective was fully achieved and made it possible to identify avenues for moving forward constructively.