Is one allowed to drink champagne on a Monday evening? As a parent of two children aged nine and twelve, with a workday looming, the sensible answer is usually no.
But after reading the new circular from our Flemish Minister of Education outlining the changes for the 2026–2027 school year, I found myself walking decisively toward the fridge.
We keep hearing that Flemish education has declined sharply over the past twenty years. I am a product of the Jesuit college Sint-Jozef in Turnhout. Levet scone, plus est en vous. Six years of doing your best, a preparation for life, and then straight to university. A standard path, at least back then.
Today, Flemish education - like the rest of our society - has become far more complex. The large influx of children who do not speak Dutch at home, the mental pressure of social media, a world that spins ever faster: it weighs on schools, teachers, and parents alike.
My eldest daughter is in her final year of primary school. Next year she moves to secondary. Latin. Friends with children already in secondary complain endlessly: twelve-year-olds who only need to be at school at ten in the morning, or who are allowed to go home at two in the afternoon because their teacher is sick.
In the days leading up to the Christmas, Easter, or summer holidays, those tweeners are home for days on end because their last exam was already on the Wednesday. And so parents twist themselves into knots, because no one likes leaving a freshly minted ex-primary-schooler alone for hours.
Critics say this is simply part of growing up. But I work in Antwerp city center and constantly see groups of twelve- to fifteen-year-olds hanging around the supermarket, clutching a bag of crisps and a box of Filipinos. I’m not convinced this is the 'natural evolution' we should aspire to.
That is why I read Minister Demir’s proposals with growing approval. She writes that children must be at school during school hours. Hallelujah. She writes that children must attend school until the very last day of the school year. Hallelujah. And as the cherry on top, she scraps the optional and pedagogical bridge days.
For parents, this means mental peace: my child is at school, I can work. It frees up vacation days for what they should actually be used for: quality time.
For teachers and schools, this will undoubtedly cause unrest. They will need to reorganise, perhaps work more. You will never hear me claim that teachers have too many holidays; their job is harder today than ever. But society has become more demanding for everyone. I am a recruiter, and my work is also more difficult than it was ten years ago. Let us stay calm, and carry on.
Ultimately, this is about our children, the future of our society. More structure, more discipline, and yes, more effective school days can help bring our education system back up to standard. Flanders still wants to be a knowledge society.
And so, yes: sometimes a person is allowed to drink champagne on a Monday.
