An increase in enrolment fees for adult education courses has caused significant disruptions at Flemish adult education centres (CVOs), according to the GO! network, which says courses are being cancelled and staff have been affected.
A reform of course fees was introduced in September, raising the cost of certain programmes from €1.50 to €4.00 per hour. The more expensive courses include classes in flower arranging, photography, and languages, which Flemish Education and Works Minister Zuhal Demir has labelled “hobby courses.”
In contrast, programmes leading to high-demand professions and second-chance education, along with Dutch-as-a-second-language (NT2) courses have seen reduced fees, making them more financially attractive in some cases.
As a result, enrolment in these lower-cost programmes has surged. According to GO!, enrolment in NT2 courses has increased by 12% to 30% across various centres.
On the other hand, “hobby courses” have seen a sharp decline in enrolment, particularly language courses. “Beginners, in particular, are dropping out, though advanced courses are faring slightly better,” GO! reported, noting that fewer entry-level courses mean fewer participants advancing to higher levels in the coming years.
In response to higher fees, some centres are shortening modules or spreading them over longer periods to make classes more affordable. Nonetheless, several courses have been cancelled due to low enrolment numbers.
This has also affected teaching staff. “Temporary instructors lose their assignments when courses are cancelled,” the education network explained. “Permanently teachers are being reassigned to other subject areas wherever possible, but when no suitable position is available, they face being 'placed on standby.'
"This means they lose their teaching assignment but retain a provisional waiting allowance and must remain available for re-employment. Unfortunately, not all affected colleagues will find new positions.”
GO! has yet to provide complete data on the total impact on its course offerings and teaching staff across its ten centres.
Speaking in parliament last week, Minister Demir revealed a 7% drop in overall enrolment in adult education across Flanders. However, programmes for high-demand professions, second-chance education, and NT2 have seen increases of 12%, 18%, and 4% respectively.
