Just like other countries in the European Union, Belgium faces significant challenges in ensuring genuine equal opportunities. This comes in the light of a European comparative education study published on Monday by the European Commission. The European institution stresses that, “Belgium now faces major challenges regarding equal opportunities for pupils. Pupils' performance is directly linked to their socio-economic background, particularly amongst young immigrants.”
The institution goes on, “This is all the more serious given that we are anticipating a high growth in this group of vulnerable youngsters (in the future).”
The report, in particular, stresses that Belgian schools have the most disadvantaged children, especially those schools which so often lack experienced teachers or headmasters.
However, the study does show that the number of youngsters leaving school early is decreasing in Belgium.
From 12% in 2012, their percentage has thus declined to 10.1% in 2015, or indeed less than the European average (11%). This is still above the 2020 target level of 9.5%.
Children born abroad are twice as likely (18.2%) than others (9%) to leave school prematurely, the European institution's report further reveals.
The Brussels Times
