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EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Statistics on educational institutions

Belgium - Flemish Community

2.Organisation and governance

2.8Statistics on educational institutions

Last update: 27 November 2023

This section provides the most recent available data on the number of educational institutions from pre-primary to post-secondary non-tertiary education level (ISCED levels 0-4). Statistics on numbers and characteristics of higher education institutions can be found in the European Tertiary Education Register. A general overview of the categories of institutions providing publicly-subsidised adult education and training can be found in the chapter on adult education. The notes below the tables provide methodological explanations necessary for a good interpretation of data.

Statistics on educational institutions providing regular education

Statistics on educational institutions providing regular education ISCED levels provided Main orientation of the programmes provided​ Number of educational institutions

Total

Public Government-dependent private Private independent
Child care (kinderopvang) 0 (-) 7142 (:) (:) (:)
Pre-primary education (Kleuteronderwijs) 0 (-) 162 31 131 (:)
Primary education (Lager onderwijs) 1 (-) 161 37 124 (:)
Both pre-primary and primary education (zowel kleuter- als lager onderwijs) 0,1 (-) 2114 872 1242 (:)
Fulltime secondary education (Voltijds secundair onderwijs) 2,3,4  G,V 940 279 661 (:)
Part-time vocational secondary education (Deeltijds secundair onderwijs) 3 V 6 (:) (:) (:)

Source: Flemish Department of Education and Training (Departement Onderwijs en Vorming): Yearbook Education Statistics (Statistisch jaarboek van het Vlaams onderwijs), https://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/nl/nl/onderwijsstatistieken/statistisch-jaarboek/statistisch-jaarboek-van-het-vlaams-onderwijs-2018-2019-beperkt (last accessed 4/12/2019)

ISCED= International Standard Classification of Education

G= General V= Vocational
(:) Data not available (-) Not applicable

Terminology

The 2018 version of the Unesco/OECD/Eurostat Manual on concepts, definitions and classification can be consulted for the definitions of regular education (p.10); general and vocational programmes of education (p.19); as well as public institution, government-dependent private institution and private independent institution (pp. 24-26)

Notes

- Fourty-three of the 940 schools that provide full-time secondary education also organise part-time vocational secondary education.

- The above data was collected based on the legal entity approach, meaning that one educational institution corresponds to a legal, administrative or organisational entity or unit.

- The 940 schools providing full-time secondary education can choose the ISCED levels of education and the type of education programs (general or vocational) they offer. The Flemish Government does not collect data on the schools' offer in terms of types and levels of education.

- Schools can offer both vocational and general education, or opt to only offer one type of education. The Flemish Government does not collect data on the schools' offer.

- The Flemish Government does not keep data on the number and offer of private independent institutions, and does not register whether childcare institutions and places are public of government dependent-private institutions.

- More information (English) about the previous reference year 2017 - 2018 can be found here: https://www.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/flemish-education-in-figures-2017-2018

Statistics on separate educational institutions providing special needs education

Type of educational institution in English and (in national language) ISCED levels provided Main orientation of the programmes provided​ Number of educational institutions

Total

Public Government-dependent institutions Private independent
Special needs primary education (Buitengewoon lager onderwijs) 1 (-) 75 21 54 (:)
Both pre-primary and primary education (zowel kleuter- als lager onderwijs) 0,1 (-) 123 49 74 (:)
Special needs secundary education (Buitengewoon secundair onderwijs) 2,3,4 G,V 126 42 84 (:)

Source: Flemish Department of Education and Training (Departement Onderwijs en Vorming): Yearbook Education Statistics (Statistisch jaarboek van het Vlaams onderwijs), https://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/nl/nl/onderwijsstatistieken/statistisch-jaarboek/statistisch-jaarboek-van-het-vlaams-onderwijs-2018-2019-beperkt (last accessed 4/12/2019)

ISCED= International Standard Classification of Education

G= General V= Vocational
(:) Data not available (-) Not applicable

Terminology

The 2018 version of the Unesco/OECD/Eurostat Manual on concepts, definitions and classification can be consulted for the definitions of regular education (p.10); general and vocational programmes of education (p.19); as well as public institution, government-dependent private institution and private independent institution (pp. 24-26).

Notes

- This data includes the so-called ‘type 5-schools’. These schools organise special education of type 5 only (for pupils with long-term illness). In special needs primary education, 6 schools organise this kind of education. In special secondary education there are 6 schools organising type 5- education.

- The above data was collected based on the legal entity approach, meaning that one educational institution corresponds to a legal, administrative or organisational entity or unit.

- The Flemish Government does not keep data on the number and offer of private independent institutions.

- The schools providing secondary education can choose the  ISCED levels of education and the type of education programs (general or vocational) they offer. The Flemish Government does not collect data on the schools' offer in terms of types and levels of education.

- Schools can offer both vocational and general education, or opt to only offer one type of education. The Flemish Government does not collect data on the schools' offer.

- More information (English) about the previous reference year 2017 - 2018 can be found here: https://www.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/flemish-education-in-figures-2017-2018