If the student protests held on Thursdays as part of Climate Thursdays continue until May, some students will go over the permitted 20 half-days of unjustified absence, warns the Brussels-Wallonia Federation Education minister Marie-Martine Schyns. She wants to find a solution to stop demonstrators being barred from taking their exams, she said during an interview with Sudpresse on Saturday.
The eighth Climate Thursday attracted 12,000 young people from across the country. The minster said “we will take the necessary measures if this continues.”
She also indicated that if a student is barred from taking their exams because they took part in the demonstrations, she would “take the necessary measures in a timely manner.” She added “it’s unfortunate it’s always the same lessons that are affected as the demonstrations are always on Thursdays.”
Mrs Schyns said these students are “mobilised, active, engaged. Far from the image of the disinterested and apathetic youth we sometimes see.” She pointed out they also have to be “responsible with regards to their education.” She told them to “intelligently manage their studies to avoid it impacting their learning.”
The Brussels Times
