Flanders reforms initial teacher education to strengthen teacher quality  

The Flemish Government has approved a comprehensive reform of teacher education, aimed at strengthening the quality of teacher training and ensuring that newly qualified teachers enter the profession with a strong and common foundation of knowledge and skills. The reform introduces a revised competence framework for early childhood and primary education, strengthens the practical component of teacher education and introduces new assessment requirements for student teachers. The revised programmes will be introduced from the 2027–2028 academic year. 

One of the key changes is the introduction of a new common framework of core competences for teacher education programmes in early childhood and primary education. This framework defines the minimum knowledge, skills and attitudes that all graduates should possess and places greater emphasis on three key areas: subject knowledge, subject-specific pedagogy and general pedagogy. The aim is to better prepare future teachers for classroom and school practice. 

The policy approach starts from the pre-school stage (childcare) and continues from pre-primary through primary education up to the first year of secondary education. During this period, emphasis is placed on language-rich reinforcement (e.g. through teacher professionalisation, the presence of a language expert in every school, and quality language teaching materials for all subject areas) as well as a substantial remediation component for pupils who need it.  

Remediation ranges from pre-teaching to separate Dutch language classes for pupils with insufficient knowledge of the language of instruction, helping them to follow the mainstream curriculum successfully. It also includes three additional hours of Dutch per week for pupils who have not yet mastered certain aspects of the language.  

The plan builds on existing research and evidence-informed learning materials, and supports the rollout of the new curriculum, which aims to facilitate knowledge acquisition and aligns with the new minimum objectives.  

For the development of this broad range of interventions, the Flemish Department of Education and Training will collaborate with several partners, such as the Flemish Language Platform, the educational research platform ‘Leerpunt’ and the Dutch Language Union (Taalunie), an intergovernmental organisation for the promotion of Dutch language. The latter will offer eight physical and virtual modules on language acquisition, remediation and the link with the new minimum objectives.  

Towards Schools for Everyone in 2040: consultation, vision and implementation

In November 2025, the Flemish Government published a consultation note on inclusive education, advancing the long-term reform towards “schools for everyone” by 2040. It builds on a vision note adopted in 2025 and earlier expert advice, and outlines a gradual transformation of the education system over the next 15 years. The goal is to move towards a more inclusive model in which all pupils, including those with additional needs, are educated in mainstream schools with strengthened support. (vlaanderen.be)  

The reform is designed as a phased, system-wide transition, replacing the traditional separation between mainstream and special education. It is framed as a structural shift rather than a set of isolated measures, with implementation steps running up to 2040.  

 By 2040, the aim is for all pupils to learn in inclusive “schools for everyone”, combining high educational standards with tailored support for diverse learning needs. Schools are expected to better adapt teaching and support within a shared learning environment.   

The reform stresses a co-created and evidence-based approach, involving schools, teachers, pupils, parents and support services to ensure feasibility and broad support.  

Core principles include maintaining strong learning outcomes for all pupils, improving school organisation, and ensuring accessible support for staff and learners. The reform also highlights professional development, closer cooperation between education and welfare services, and fair, needs-based funding.   

The transition will unfold in phases up to 2040. Early steps focus on closer cooperation between mainstream and special education and pilot projects. Later phases foresee a full system shift towards integrated inclusive schooling, with adapted support structures across all schools.   

Pioniersscholen within the Schools for Everyone reform  

As part of the move towards “schools for everyone” by 2040, the Flemish Government is introducing pioneerschools as experimental projects to test more inclusive forms of education in practice. From the 2026–2027 school year, an initial group of projects will be launched through a dedicated call, with further waves expected later.  

These projects bring together mainstream and special education schools, CLBs and support services to test how more integrated learning environments can be organised. The aim is to reduce strict separation between school types and explore more flexible support for pupils with diverse needs.   

Pioneerschools function as “living labs” where new approaches are tested, such as multidisciplinary teams, flexible support systems and closer cooperation with welfare partners. They also explore inclusive practices that rely less on fixed labels and more on needs-based support.  

Each project receives annual funding (around €260,000) and is explicitly temporary, with results feeding into future policy on inclusive education.  
   
Pioneerschools are a key step in the transition towards schools for everyone, helping to test how mainstream and special education can gradually be brought closer together. Their findings will inform the long-term shift towards a more inclusive system by 2040.  

Changes to the school year and class councils to increase teaching time  

From 1 September 2026, the organisation of the school year in primary and secondary education in Flanders will change. The reforms aim to make the best possible use of available teaching time and to prevent lessons from being cancelled for organisational reasons. By limiting the circumstances in which lessons may be suspended, the Flemish Government seeks to safeguard more effective teaching time for pupils.  

In primary and secondary education, lessons may no longer be suspended for optional holiday days or on the day following elections when school buildings are used as polling stations. In primary education, schools may continue to organise up to three half-day pedagogical study sessions, but they may no longer apply for additional study days. The final day of the school year before the summer holidays will be a full school day.  

In secondary education, lessons may no longer be suspended for a pedagogical study day or for administrative and induction activities at the start of the school year. The number of days on which lessons may be suspended for assessment purposes will also be limited, taking into account the form of assessment and the type of education. The final day before the summer holidays will likewise remain a full school day.  

Where lessons are cancelled due to teacher absence or teacher shortages, schools will in principle be responsible for providing an alternative educational programme during those hours. For certain pupils in the third stage of secondary education, schools may decide that they may arrive later or leave earlier.  

In addition, the regulations governing class councils will be made more flexible. The composition of class councils will become more flexible, and meetings may henceforth take place either in person or online.  

The changes will apply from the 2026–2027 school year onwards. They were introduced following consultations with, among others, the education trade unions and the education providers within the sectoral committee. 

Goed gedragen

In November 2025, the Flemish Government approved the Action Plan Goed Gedragen (“Well-Behaved”), a new policy initiative aimed at strengthening positive behaviour, improving school climate and reducing early school leaving in primary and secondary education. The plan introduces 28 actions that provide schools with additional guidance, training and support to create calmer, safer and more structured learning environments. The initiative responds to increasing concerns about behavioural challenges, rising suspensions and exclusions, absenteeism and growing pressure on teachers and school teams.   

The Action Plan forms part of the broader Flemish policy on pupil guidance and school engagement. It complements existing measures on early school leaving and student wellbeing by focusing specifically on prevention, clear behavioural expectations and timely intervention. The measures are aligned with the phases of the Flemish pupil guidance framework and aim to reinforce schools’ basic care structures and classroom management practices.   

The Flemish authorities emphasise that effective learning requires a safe, predictable and orderly school environment. Research cited by the government points to the importance of strong basic care, including clear routines, explicit behavioural expectations and consistent follow-up. According to the authorities, these elements are currently insufficiently embedded in some schools, while schools increasingly report bullying, aggression, insecurity and students disengaging from education.   

The 28 actions are organised around three main objectives. The first objective is to create more space for the learning process through stronger classroom management, clearer routines and consistent behavioural policies. The second objective is to improve learning outcomes and qualified completion rates by ensuring that pupils can learn in stable and supportive environments. The third objective is to strengthen physical, emotional and social safety in schools through faster responses to bullying, aggression and complex behavioural situations.   

The measures are implemented across the three phases of pupil guidance: basic care, increased care and extended care. Within basic care, schools are encouraged to establish clear routines, teach expected behaviour explicitly and strengthen classroom management. Under increased care, schools receive additional support when behavioural issues persist or when pupils require closer monitoring. Extended care measures target complex situations where schools need external expertise or crisis support.   

The Flemish Government presents the Action Plan Goed Gedragen as a shared responsibility involving teachers, school leaders, pedagogical guidance services, CLBs, learning support centres, pupils and parents. By reinforcing positive behaviour and school connectedness, the authorities aim to create learning environments that support both pupil achievement and teacher wellbeing, while contributing to a reduction in early school leaving.   

Flanders expands access to secondary education qualifications for people in detention  

The Flemish Government has adopted new measures to strengthen educational opportunities for people in detention as part of its broader strategy to support their reintegration into society. The initiative forms part of the Flemish Strategic Plan for Strengthening the Reintegration of People in Detention (2025–2030) and aims to improve access to a secondary education qualification through the Examination Board for Secondary Education. To support its implementation, additional staff and operational resources will be allocated to the Agency for Higher Education, Adult Education, Qualifications and Study Grants (AHOVOKS).  

People in detention can obtain a secondary education qualification through Centres of Adult Education who organise classes in prison. Under the new arrangements, people in detention will also be able to obtain their qualification by taking examinations organised by the Examination Board for Secondary Education. The initiative focuses specifically on this target group, reflecting the objective of increasing educational attainment among low-qualified adults and supporting their reintegration into education, training and employment.  

To facilitate participation, AHOVOKS will recruit examination support officers who will work directly in prisons. They will provide information on the examination system, assist candidates with registration and study materials, coordinate examination planning, supervise examinations, communicate results and liaise with prison authorities, adult education providers and other relevant organisations. The Examination Board will also expand its operations by organising additional examination sessions and developing examination versions adapted to this specific context.  

The Flemish Government has approved an expansion of AHOVOKS' staffing by six full-time equivalent posts, including five examination support officers and one coordinator, together with additional operational and IT funding. The new arrangements are expected to become operational during the 2026–2027 academic year, with an initial implementation phase running until August 2028. The initiative is intended to provide a more structured pathway for people in detention to obtain a secondary education qualification and to support their longer-term social and labour market reintegration.  

Flemish tests 

The Flemish tests are standardised, norm-referenced, validated assessments that support schools’ internal quality assurance and strengthen educational quality. They are centrally developed by an independent academic organisation involving all five Flemish universities and two universities of applied sciences. They are administered digitally and processed using scientifically validated standards. They assess Dutch reading comprehension and mathematics and provide insights at both school and system level. The assessment results help identifying and addressing learning delays. By measuring and improving educational quality, the tests aim to promote greater equality of opportunity by providing a standardised picture of learning outcomes, supporting teaching improvement, and helping policymakers to develop measures for fostering equal opportunities for all pupils.   

All pupils in Flemish schools are required to participate in the tests. Only a very small group—namely, pupils following an individually adapted curriculum, newly arrived non-Dutch-speaking pupils, and pupils in special education—is exempt.

The Flemish tests are administered in the 4th and 6th years of primary education, the second year of the first stage of secondary education (8th year of schooling), and the second year of the third stage of secondary education (12th year of schooling). At present, the tests are available for the 4th year of primary education (since 2024), the 6th year of primary education (since 2026), and the second year of the first stage of secondary education (since 2024). The tests for the second year of the third stage will follow in 2027. As all pupils take the tests four times during their school career, learning gains at school and system level can be tracked over time.

The tests are low-stakes and have no direct consequences for pupils’ school careers. However, schools may use the results as one of the sources of information in class council assessments. At the end of September, schools receive a dashboard presenting and contextualising their results, allowing them to compare them with the Flemish average and with a group of schools with a similar composition. The dashboard can inform schools’ internal quality assurance. School results are also included among the indicators used by the education inspectorate when selecting and evaluating schools.

At system level, the results are used to inform policymaking. The results of the Flemish tests, including those from a pupil questionnaire, are also used for academic research.