The Socialist and Christian teachers’ unions have condemned cost-cutting measures in the education sector, announced for next year by the Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, FWB.
“We will not let this happen!” said Roland Lahaye, General Secretary of CSC-Enseignement. “Teachers are reeling from these announcements. These measures will seriously harm the quality of education.”
The unions, which represent the majority of the Federation’s teachers, are particularly critical of plans to increase upper secondary school teachers’ weekly workload by two hours and to reduce salaries for teachers on sick leave from 80% to 60%.
To protest these measures, the unions are urging members to join an interprofessional demonstration to be held on 14 October in the capital.
Union representatives will also organise work stoppages in schools on Monday or Wednesday to inform teaching staff about the planned cuts.
Luc Toussaint, president of CGSP-Enseignement, said education sector unions are scheduled to begin actions in November, following the All Saints’ holiday.
Unions have also criticised a proposal by the FWB Government to raise the pay scale for primary school teachers and “régents” (secondary school teachers who will now be appointed after four years’ training, up from the previous three years) by just 5%.
“A 5% increase is ridiculous!” said Lahaye. “This is certainly not how you attract candidates to the profession.”
As in other developed countries, teaching is an understaffed profession in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Since teacher training was extended to four years in 2023, enrolment in education programmes has dropped by 31%.
