The Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation has approved the extension of the Schools in Adjustment Scheme (EDA), allowing 25 schools to join this enhanced support mechanism for institutions facing structural difficulties from 2026. Previously, only 20 schools were included.
This scheme aims to support schools facing difficulties based on several indicators: pupils' results and progress, the school climate, or the dynamics within the teaching team.
Support over several years
Unlike one-off support, schools joining the EDA scheme benefit from enhanced support for at least four years, in order to improve the quality of their teaching.
The first year is devoted to diagnosis and building the improvement pathway. The General Inspectorate Service carries out an in-depth audit to identify the causes of the difficulties encountered. On this basis, the school draws up its action plan.
The following three years are devoted to implementing and monitoring this plan. The school receives close support from the administration, with regular meetings to measure progress and, if necessary, adjust the plan. The aim is to allow the school to sustainably regain a positive dynamic and then return to standard management.
With this new cohort, at least 117 schools will have simultaneously benefited from this specific support, taking into account the cohorts already under way.
The scheme is currently also undergoing a thorough evaluation to measure its effectiveness and identify possible improvements.
A systemic approach rather than a punitive one
The EDA scheme is obviously not a sanction. It is a specific support mechanism designed to intervene where difficulties are greatest, with a comprehensive approach that goes beyond mere academic results. The schools concerned are not made public, in order to preserve a climate
of calm work and to foster constructive support.
"When a school is going through structural difficulties, our responsibility is not to stigmatise it, but to support it concretely. Behind every supported school there are teams who want to move forward, pupils who need stability, and families waiting for solutions. We want this support to be useful and effective. That is precisely the purpose of the ongoing evaluation: to strengthen what works and improve what needs improving", concludes Valérie Glatigny, Minister of Education.