Types of institutions
The School Pact obliges communities to guarantee parents the free choice of education for their children. The law distinguishes between denominational, non-denominational and pluralistic schools. The latter have not yet been organised.
In principle, GUW schools must admit all pupils and OSUW schools all pupils of the community concerned and also those of a neighbouring community if the school is the nearest school for the latter pupils; FSUW schools may only refuse to enrol a pupil if his or her legal guardians are not prepared to agree to the school's educational project.
Geographical accessibility
Same as in previous sections.
Admission requirements and choice of school
Admission requirements for a field of study in the 2nd level of qualification education
-
Pupils who have successfully completed the 2nd common year (in the 1st level) (soon to be pupils who have received the first level certificate) can attend not only a 3rd year in the 2nd level in one field of study in transitional education (general education and technical transitional education), but also a 3rd year in a field of study of technical or vocational education (which is always included in qualification education).
-
Pupils who have successfully completed the 2nd B year in the separate 1st level progress to the 2nd level, although in a field of study of vocational education.
-
A pupil can also progress if they are already 15 years old and have attended the 2nd year of secondary school (even if they did not successfully complete the year), but under the condition that the Admissions Board have issued a positive report in this regard.
Pupils who successfully complete the 3rd secondary school year in vocational education (the 1st year in the 2nd level) normally progress to the 4th year (2nd year of the 2nd level) but can also switch to another technical field of study in qualification education and start training in the 3rd secondary school year.
Admission requirements for a field of study in the 3rd level of qualification education.
To be accepted into qualification education in the 3rd level of technical education, a pupil must have already successfully completed the 4th year of this same stream (soon to be: have received the same grade in the 2nd level in the same stream). Changing the field of study within qualification education after the 4th year (i.e. after completing the 2nd level) is very rare, but is still possible under certain conditions. The same applies to attending the 3rd level of vocational education.
The 3rd level of vocational education can last three years. It is possible to obtain a fully-valid secondary school leaving facilitating entrance to a university by completing this optional 7th secondary school year. This leaving certificate is not issued in the 6th year in vocational education as in other streams.
Age levels and grouping of pupils
The lower level of all secondary schools (1st level or observation level) builds upon the knowledge and skills learned in the common primary school and provides all pupils with an extended general education. This includes years 7 and 8, i.e. pupils between the ages of 12 and 14. The pupils are taught in year groups by about eight to ten teachers who are responsible for one, two or three subjects depending on their qualification. The teachers also teach the same year group and/or in classes of different years in parallel classes. They often stay with the same classes for a number of years.
The situation is similar in the upper level of the secondary school for pupils between the ages of 14 and 18 years (although there are many students that are older than most of their class mates): despite the level structures and curricula that are formulated depending on the level, teaching is still done in year groups. Assessment is continuous - e.g. two tests per subject per school year - and the decision about progression to the next year is determined by the governing body. Before this, real level pedagogy is not applied very often.
There is no official recommendation or standard regarding class size. The class structure is decided by the head teacher and the Pedagogical Council. It is dependent on the number of lesson (lesson capital) with which the teachers are able to be hired. The lesson capital of a school is dependent on the number of pupils. The school has the right to freely enact lesson capital due to their autonomy. Generally, the number of pupils in mandatory subjects is between 22 and 30. In elective subjects it is normally much lower - especially in the upper level - fewer than 10.
Differentiating educational programmes
Vocational education is the first line in preparing for entrance into the professional world. However, after completing the seventh educational year, it is possible for the student to be admitted to university or university of applied sciences.
The following electives are offered in vocational education, and are arranged into the following vocational fields:
-
Agriculture (agronomy and stock maintenance, forestry)
-
Electromechanics, micro technology, electronics, mechanics, motor mechanics
-
Structural engineering (Structural design and public works, timber industry, wood work, structural engineering),
-
Hotel industry - Nutrition (hotels, delicacies)
-
Clothing industry (industrial clothing industry, tailoring and alterations, sales)
-
Applied art (advertising, graphics, printing, goldsmithing)
-
Services for people (social, family and medical services, hair care, child care)
-
Economics (accounting and business administration, secretary, modern languages and communication, tourism)
Organisation of the school year
Same as in previous sections.
Organisation of the school day and week
The school week comprises 5 days. In secondary schools - as in primary schools - lessons take place five mornings a week (from Monday to Friday) and four afternoons a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). Mornings are divided up into five lessons; afternoons are divided into three lessons. That results in a weekly schedule of 37 lessons. In the lower level of secondary school (1st level), the pupils generally attend an average of 33 lessons per week; in the upper level (2nd and 3rd level), the average is 36 lessons in the vocational stream. With the help of the Pedagogical Council and after consulting with the parent association, the head teacher determines when classes begin and end, though it must be between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. In most cases, classes run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is a break for about 10 minutes in the morning between the second and third lesson. The lunch break is about one hour. Most pupils remain at school during the lunch break and can eat a warm lunch in the school cafeteria.
Because some busses that provide school transportation have early arrival times and late departure times, some schools – especially secondary schools – last 8 hours a day for four days of the week. Special supervised homework is not provided after school hours. However, homework can be done in the school during the "gap lessons" (=free hours in the pupil's schedule). As some of the busses arrive very early in the morning, pupils can enter the school as of about 7:30 am. Private after-school tutoring until 6 p.m. has been arranged in some places in the last few years.
Vocational education and training – duale Ausbildung
As a general, vocational and technical basic training course, an apprenticeship is the first step into the world of work for many young people. Companies greatly appreciate the practical qualifications of apprentices.
Access to the profession is made possible in several protected professions through the apprenticeship certificate, the completion of the training.
The training includes practical training in a training company that is recognized by the Institut für Aus- und Weiterbildung im Mittelstand und in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (IAWM). This training is supplemented by general and vocational courses, tests and examinations.
As a rule, an SME apprenticeship lasts three years.
Individual preparation for the apprenticeship is possible for people who require targeted support due to insufficient school or social skills.
The basis is an apprenticeship contract between the training company, the young person and their legal guardians. The apprenticeship contract is concluded through the mediation of a recognized apprenticeship secretary.
It is also possible to take an examination before the Walloon Region's examination board in order to prove one's skills and gain access to the profession.
The general and vocational training courses, tests and exams take place at a recognized center for education and training in SMEs and small and medium-sized enterprises (ZAWM).
Access conditions for apprentices
In order to be able to conclude an apprenticeship contract, the young person must have completed full-time compulsory education, i.e. be at least 15 years old and have attended secondary school for two years or be 16 years old.
To be able to conclude an apprenticeship contract, the apprentice must not normally be older than 29. However, since 2019, exceptions have been possible for people over the age of 29 if they meet certain statutory conditions in connection with the receipt of replacement income.
Young people who have not passed the second common year of secondary education or the third year of vocational secondary education must pass an entrance exam organized by the IAWM at the request of the young person or their legal guardian.
The entrance examination is deemed to have been passed if the participant achieves half of the possible points in each of the subjects. The IAWM determines the content of the entrance examination on the basis of the skills taught in the first two years of secondary education. In the event of failure, the young person may repeat the entrance examination once per year of training.
Young people who are in possession of the certificate of proficiency for the fifth vocational year of secondary special education are exempt from the entrance examination.
Young people who come from the special secondary school system and do not have this qualification must also pass the entrance examination.
In order to be able to conclude an apprenticeship contract, the young person must be declared physically fit to carry out the agreed occupation.
Weekly working hours, minimum compensation, and holidays
The training company must ensure that the daily and weekly working hours are adhered to.
Working hours always include the time taken by the apprentice to attend general and vocational courses, tests, training conditions for medium-sized apprentices and training companies, examinations and inter-company training.
The apprentice must be trained in the company for an annual average of at least 24 hours per week, whereby the inter-company training is added to the company training time.
The company must pay the apprentice a minimum monthly allowance. This was increased from July 1, 2022 and can be indexed annually.
Overtime is only permitted in exceptional cases.
In addition to public holidays, the company may, if necessary, grant additional unpaid leave to enable the apprentice to take 20 working days of leave (in the case of a five-day week) and 24 working days (in the case of a six-day week).