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Assessment in vocational secondary education

Belgium - Flemish Community

6.Secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education

6.9Assessment in vocational secondary education

Last update: 27 November 2023

Pupil/Students assessment

Fulltime vocational secondary education

See first stage. 

From the 2022-2023 school year onwards, the deliberative class committee in the second and third stage for individual students may advance the evaluation decision if the class committee judges that the student has already achieved the applicable goals. The right of initiative to do so lies solely with the class committee. 

Part-time vocational secondary education

In part-time vocational secondary education (pvse) the class council, appointed by the centre administration, decides whether a youngster has passed a programme or a module. The class council determines the form in which the youngster will be individually assessed and examines here whether he has to a sufficient degree reached the objectives of the programme or module in order to grant a certificate which is recognized by the Flemish Community.  

When taking the assessment decisions data from the file of the youngster are taken into account, and in particular the evaluation of the youngster during the school year. 

In case of a dispute the youngster can turn to an appeals board organized by the centre administration. 

The system of apprenticeships

In an apprenticeship the general training is assessed on the basis of permanent evaluation. The practical and vocational training are assessed by programme year by: 

  • a permanent evaluation 

  • an assessment by the mentor on the shop floor 

  • practical tests 

Re-examination during the same year is possible in case a pupil did not pass the examination of general training. SYNTRA decides whether a pupil who did not pass the exam of vocational training can resit the exam in the same year. Repeating a practical test is only possible in the next course year. 

Progression of pupils/students

Fulltime vocational secondary education

See first stage. 

Part-time vocational secondary education

See assessment of pupils. 

Part-time training

See assessment of pupils. 

The system of apprenticeships

Learning pathway guidance officers determine and guide the training pathway and the pathway on general education from the pupils bound by the agreement. This takes place on the basis of intake and screening. They also guide the employers. 

The learning pathway guidance officer, the teachers of general and vocational training, the principle of the centre or his representative, members of staff of the Pupil Guidance Centre and the pedagogical advisor of SYNTRA Flanders together form a guidance team (4x/year). This team follows the progress of the pupils during their apprenticeship. Every week care teams are organized to respond to the immediate questions and needs of pupils.   

Complaints and appeal procedures over the results and organisation of the exams can turn to a specific appeals board. Complaints about the enterprises are dealt with by the Flemish Partnership or the sectoral partnerships on dual learning

Certification

Fulltime vocational secondary education

In the second grade of the third stage of vocational secondary education a certificate is granted. This is a final qualification which grants access to the labour market, but not a Secondary Education Certificate. In order to obtain the Secondary Education Certificate as a final qualification a contiguous third grade with a package of general education must be followed. Students from vse must in other words engage in an extra year of secondary education in order to be granted access to higher education. 

Part-time vocational secondary education

In part-time vocational secondary education the following certificates are possible: 

  • Certificate of acquired competences: in case the youngster has not successfully followed a module of a modular programme or has not successfully completed a non-modular programme. 

  • Course certificate: in case the youngster has successfully followed a module of a modular programme. 

  • Certificate: in case a youngster has successfully followed a modular or non-modular programme. A certificate of exemption for one or more modules of a modular programme is regarded equivalent to the course certificates for the modules in question, without the youngster physically receiving these course certificates. 

  • Certificate of the second stage of secondary education: in case the youngster has 

  • obtained at least one certificate and 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training, and 

  • with the exception of the first stage has at least spent two school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • Certificate of the second grade of the third stage of secondary education: in case the youngster has 

  • obtained at least one certificate and 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training, and 

  • with the exception of the first stage has at least spent four school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • Secondary Education Certificate: in case the youngster has 

  • obtained the certificate of the second stage of secondary education,  

  • obtained at least one certificate and 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training, and 

  • with the exception of the first stage has at least spent five school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • Certificates on the basic knowledge of business administration: in case the youngster has 

  • with the exception of the first stage spent at least four school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • complied with the conditions from basic knowledge of business administration. 

The system of apprenticeships

In the system of apprenticeships the following certificates are possible: 

  • Attestation: in case the pupil has followed and passed one or more training years. 

  • Certificate: in case the pupil has successfully followed a programme.   

  • Certificate of apprenticeship: in case a pupil has successfully followed all programmes of a programme pathway. 

  • Certificate of the second stage of secondary education: in case the pupil has 

  • obtained at least one certificate; 

  • has followed at least two school years of secondary education or apprenticeship after the first stage of secondary education; 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training. 

  • Certificate of the second grade of the third stage of secondary education: in case the youngster has 

  • obtained at least one certificate and 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training, and 

  • with the exception of the first stage has at least spent four school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • Secondary Education Certificate: in case the youngster has 

  • obtained the certificate of the second stage of secondary education,  

  • obtained at least one certificate and 

  • has reached to a sufficient degree the targets of the teaching plan and has thus complied with the whole of the training, and 

  • with the exception of the first stage has at least spent five school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • Certificates on the basic knowledge of business administration: in case the youngster has 

  • with the exception of the first stage spent at least four school years in secondary education or in the system of apprenticeships. 

  • complied with the conditions from basic knowledge of business administration.