2023-07-02 07:00:00
“My daughter, in first secondary, finished school on June 28, 2023 and will return to second on August 31. She will therefore have two full months of vacation. Is this normal when we added a week off at All Saints and another at carnival? And that I hear everywhere that school ends on July 7?” The question comes to us from Natacha.
It is true that, for a long time now, the end of the year has been conducive to controversy over white days, those famous days when students, mainly in secondary school, do not have lessons to allow teachers to deliberate. So let’s take stock, dear Natacha, with Jean-François Mahieu, spokesperson for the office of the Walloon Minister of Education, Caroline Désir.
”In primary school, the school is open and the supervision of all the children is organized until July 7th. On the other hand, in secondary school, as long as the school respects the number of annual white days authorized, it is indeed possible that the pupils finish before July 7.
White days according to the year of study
The number of white days differs according to the level of studies: “Currently, it is 3 days in basic education, 18 days from first to third secondary and 27 days from fourth to sixth secondary (due to organization of oral exams), explains Jean-François Mahieu. We can indeed find that the number of white days is too high because it reduces the learning time and attendance of students at school. It is also our reading. This is why the reform of the rhythms has provided for a reduction in the number of white days in the fundamental from 2022 and a reduction in the number of white days in the secondary, gradually following the rhythm of the common core. From 2026-2027, the permitted quotas in secondary education will be reduced by a third.”
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These are the days when we talk the most about the students and all the needs for improvement.
Anthony Spiegeler, director of NESPA (New secondary school with active pedagogy), located in Genappe, explains the importance of white days for teachers. “These are the days when we talk the most about the students and all the needs for improvement. We have a very short time frame to organize class councils and prepare files for appeals. Besides this, there is everything related to the end of the year, such as emptying the premises, preparing for the following year, welcoming new teachers and also planning a solemn moment to celebrate the end of the year. It is a fantasy to be able to keep the students until July 7, unless we call on a body that offers internships, but it is not easy to find one ready to accommodate 437 students. And it’s not mandatory.”
The director of NESPA adds that his pupils have fewer blank days than in other schools. “We do not organize exams in December, which reduces the number of blank days. And we have fewer PD days because we do this in the summer. Teachers return to school on August 23, 2023.
The start of the school year will take place on August 30 for the first secondary years, “to offer them a special welcome”, while the other years will return one or two days later.
Can you use your half-days of unjustified absence to go on vacation?
The last days of school are sometimes taken lightly by some children and their parents. Booking a vacation during these days can be a tempting saving. Better to abstain, however. It is true that students are authorized to take 9.5 half-days of unjustified absence (ie not covered by a medical certificate, an official summons or due to the death of a loved one). However, “any unjustified absence, even less than 9.5 days, remains illegal, we insist with the General Administration of Education of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. It is therefore not allowed to go on vacation during school periods.
As for unjustified absences during the year, they are collected by the schools. “As of 9.5 days of unjustified absence, absences are reported to the Administration, which keeps a history of student absenteeism throughout the duration of their compulsory schooling. A reminder letter of the law is sent to the legal representatives and assistance is also offered. If absenteeism persists, the situation is forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The latter may then decide to impose a fine of up to 200 euros (per child). In case of recidivism, the fines can be doubled or a prison sentence of one day to one month can be pronounced.
It only remains for us, dear Natacha, to wish you happy holidays.
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