2025
Strengthening Technical, Artistic, and Vocational Education
Technical and vocational education will be strengthened, in part by promoting collaboration between education and the labour market. From 1 September 2025, the entire secondary education system will be modernised, including the integration of learning and work. This is crucial for dual learning, as these pathways will then be fully aligned with those in full-time, non-dual education. This presents an opportunity for schools to expand their offerings in this area.
The Department of Education and Training in Flanders is exploring ways to further facilitate the expansion and sustainability of dual learning while also considering how to enhance its public perception.
The Department is also monitoring organisations that improve the link between education and the labour market. These organisations specifically focus on strengthening study choices in technical and vocational education and training students to work with specialised techniques, equipment, and applications in specific work environments. The effectiveness of subsidies for these organisations will be evaluated at the end of their term.
Additionally, extra operational funds will be allocated to technical, artistic, and vocational secondary education to help reduce costs for students. In the context of cost management, the Department is investigating how these additional funds for technical, vocational, and artistic education can be best utilised, focusing on the most expensive study programmes for students. Efforts will also be made to ensure that these resources genuinely contribute to lowering school fees.
2023
Modernising VET infrastructure: Recovery plan ‘From Vulnerable to Resilient’
Modernising VET infrastructure: Recovery plan ‘From Vulnerable to Resilient’
Within the Framework of the Flemish Resilience Plan, the recovery plan “from vulnerable to resilient” has been elaborated. The plan pays particular attention to infrastructure for technical and vocational education. It includes a study on good practices. The results of the study will be collected in a small teacher professional development program aiming at the integration of effective pedagogical-didactic principles in their teaching. The intention is to develop a website with a digital toolkit, including inspiring examples, lesson recordings, concrete materials and tools, such as observation tools and viewing guides, by April 2024. The plan also relates to additional ICT infrastructure and XR materials (eXtended Reality), and in this way it also wants to facilitate digitalisation.
Finally, the Regional Technological Centres (RTCs) ensure a better alignment of education and training with innovative challenges and the needs of the labour market. To this end, the RTCs gather partners from education and the world of work, for example regarding the sharing of infrastructure and the lending service for XR-hardware.
Modernising VET
Recently in Flanders, secondary education is being modernised, including VET.
Concretely, the orientation function of the first grade of secondary education is strengthened, the educational goals have become more amibitious and the new classification of study programmes ensures a more rational and transparant offering in the second and third stages.
The new attainment targets for the first grade are in force since 1/9/2019 and those for the second grade since 1/9/2021. The moment of implementation of the new attainment targets for the third grade has yet to be determined by the Flemish Government. The modernisation of secondary education will be finalised on 1/9/2025. The vocational part will be completed with professional qualifications and follows the same timing
The study programs in secondary education are periodically screened (on the basis of a decree) for their relevance and timeliness with a view to possible adjustments to the offerings. This involves examining whether the objectives of the modernization of secondary education are being met. Currently, we are working on the first stage, after which we will examine the second and third degree following the rollout of the modernization. For the labor market-oriented study programs (and the dual purpose) in the third degree, we will examine, among other things, to what extent they align with or meet the (predicted) needs of the labor market. (cf. decree on the modernization of secondary education).
All programmes will be screened every five school years at the latest. If necessary, adjustments will be made. The educational goals will also periodically be screened for their topical value and to keep them in line with the challenges and expectations of society.
The combination of both modernizing the offer in VET and a good screening, has to improve the quality of the programmes and increase their attractiveness.
2022
Further implementation overview 2021
2021
Edusprong (‘Education leap’): increased support for adult education
Adult education is an important element in the Flemish recovery plan. With the strategic plan “Edusprong for adults: adult education reinforced”, Flanders will boost adult education in order to make it even more central to social mobility in Flanders. Flanders has earmarked 60 million euro for retraining, extra training and qualifications that will help overcome the backlog of adult education caused by the health crisis as well address structural challenges. The key elements of the plan are (1) strengthening digital competences, (2) tackling unqualified youth and (3) strengthening labour market opportunities.
Edusprong wants to make adult education in Flanders a strong and well-known brand that connects with the labour market and other training providers. This plan has been developed and will be implemented as part of a long-term vision on lifelong learning and in collaboration with the public employment service of Flanders (VDAB), Syntra and other stakeholders.