The government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB) adopted decrees on Thursday intended to adapt the calendar of compulsory education to the new school rhythms.
It has also, for the transition year 2022-2023, decided to maintain the current calendar, said the spokesperson for Ms. Glatigny (MR), Olivier Schotte, to the Belga agency.
It is pointed out in the minister’s entourage that higher education is traditionally already not aligned with the rhythms of compulsory education and has always had its own rhythm. Like, for example, a return to school in mid-September, no All Saints holiday, a blockade at Christmas, etc.).
Prior to the reform of school timetables, Ms. Glatigny had asked the opinion of higher education establishments (universities, colleges, colleges of arts) on the impact of the reform on higher education via ARES, the Academy of Research and Higher Education.
These establishments had expressed their desire not to align themselves with the new compulsory calendar and to carry out a long-term reflection on the academic calendar.
In the immediate future, a difficulty arises with regard to the spring holidays (Easter) which will take place, during the 2022/2023 school year, the first half of May 2023 in the compulsory period.
The track of non-alignment was retained in order to preserve the quality of learning, said the spokesperson on Friday.
Indeed, holidays in May would not have allowed students the slightest break (12 weeks of uninterrupted lessons) between the January exams and the end-of-year exams, and these would have happened directly on the heels of the spring in early May, explained the minister’s office.