A record-breaking 6,393 young people in Flanders chose dual learning last school year, combining classroom education with workplace training.
Dual learning is offered both in secondary schools and adult education programmes. This marks a significant increase from the 2020-2021 school year, when only 1,833 students participated.
According to Flemish Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA), the surge reflects recent reforms aimed at streamlining the system. “There were too many rules and excessive red tape, which sometimes discouraged students, schools, and businesses,” she told De Zondag.
From this school year onward, dual learning has become the sole “workplace-oriented learning pathway” for secondary education.
The reforms make it easier for students to enrol and offer them more robust support. Businesses also benefit from reduced administrative burdens and flexible mentorship arrangements, Demir explained.
“Dual learning allows young people to grow through hands-on experience in real work environments, gaining relevant skills immediately. It works,” she added.
Graduates of technical and vocational dual learning programmes fare better in the job market, with only 3% and 6% respectively still unemployed after one year—significantly lower than the 8% for traditional school graduates and 23% for those without a diploma.
