Starting next school year, children in French-speaking Belgium who are absent from school due to illness will have access to simultaneous online education.
The Education Committee of the French Community Parliament approved this initiative on Monday. The goal is for absent students to follow lessons live via video links and chat functions, allowing them to ask questions in real-time.
The French Community plans to try out the system over the next three academic years, with an annual budget of €200,000.
Students will be able to apply for online education if they provide a medical certificate confirming their absence due to illness, accident, or other physical or mental health issues.
An external provider will supply the necessary ICT equipment free of charge to both the student and the school.
In Flanders, the Bednet distance-learning platform has already been offering simultaneous online education in primary and secondary schools for some time.
Bednet provides free ICT equipment and technical support to students and schools.
