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Teaching and learning in general secondary education

Belgium - German-Speaking Community

6.Secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education

6.2Teaching and learning in general secondary education

Last update: 28 March 2024

Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

The basic structure of full-time secondary education is laid down in the Decree of 31 August 1998 on the mandate for school authorities and school staff and on the general pedagogical and organizational provisions for mainstream and special schools. Accordingly, all secondary schools in the German-speaking Community (DG) comprise three stages of two years each: 

1st Level: observation level (1st and 2nd secondary school year; 7th and 8th grades) 

Level 2: Orientation level (3rd and 4th year of secondary school; 9th and 10th year) 

3rd level: Determination level (5th and 6th year of secondary school; 11th and 12th year) 

At secondary school level, a distinction is made between general and technical transitional education, technical aptitude and vocational education.  

General and technical transitional education and technical qualification comprise 3 levels, each with 2 grades.  

The first two years of vocational education comprise the adaptation year and the second vocational year. The 2nd level of vocational education comprises 2 secondary school years. The 3rd stage of vocational education may comprise three years. This optional 7th year of secondary education makes it possible to obtain a full upper secondary school leaving certificate in this form of education as well, which gives access to university studies. In vocational education, this certificate is not awarded after the 6th secondary school year as in other forms of education, but after the 7th secondary school year. 

A change from one field of study to another is possible at certain times and under certain conditions. 

The former division of secondary school into lower secondary level (the first three years) and upper secondary level (the last three or four years) is irrelevant for the school structure today; however, it is still relevant in other areas (e.g. teaching qualification regulations, salary issues) until the planned amendment of certain older legal provisions. For the time being, the final certificate of lower secondary education is still issued after successful completion of the 3rd year of general education or the 4th year of vocational secondary education. 

Part-time teaching in the school environment is only available at the two secondary schools, which mainly offer courses in technical and vocational education. Secondary school pupils do not need to change schools unless they want to find a course of study that is not offered at their secondary school (combination of electives or certain specific fields of study in technical or vocational education). 

In addition to the Royal Decree of 29 June 1984 on the organization of secondary education, the Decree of 5 June 1990 on the number of teaching hours/teacher in full-time secondary education is of essential importance for full-time secondary education. This decree specifies how the teaching hours of a secondary school are calculated on the basis of pupil numbers. This hourly capital enables the schools to make their study offer, calculate the required teaching posts and recruit teaching staff. In concrete terms, this means that each pupil in a school is assigned a certain coefficient, which depends on the level and type of teaching attended, and that the multiplication of the number of pupils x coefficient divided by a corresponding administrative divisor gives the number of full-time posts to which a school is entitled during a given school year. The above-mentioned administrative divisor varies depending on the school level (lower school: 22 and upper school: 20) and corresponds to the number of teaching hours that a teacher must give for general education subjects in order to have a full timetable. 

The educational goal of all secondary schools is to impart skills. The school has the task of enabling all pupils to acquire a maximum of skills.  

First level (observation level) 

The first level, also known as the observation level, comprises the first two years of secondary school and aims in particular to provide all pupils with a broad basic education. At this stage, teachers can observe students in order to discover and promote their particular abilities. The observation stage should lead to the best possible orientation of the learners in the second stage, the orientation stage. However, as some pupils already show particular deficits in certain areas at the beginning, it is appropriate to include them in a differentiated first stage in order to be able to provide them with better and more targeted support. Accordingly, we distinguish between the first level with the 1st and 2nd observation years and the differentiated first level with the adaptation year and the 2nd vocational year. 

The 1st and 2nd year of observation 

The main objective at this level is to ensure that, after two years, as many pupils as possible effectively achieve the competency expectations described for this level in the decree of June 16, 2008 on the definition of core competencies and framework plans in the teaching system and defined as mandatory standards for all schools in the German-speaking community. 

In addition to the above-mentioned promotion of skills among learners, the educational mandate set out in Article 13 of the Decree of 31 August 1998 on the mandate to school authorities and school staff and on the general pedagogical and organizational provisions for mainstream and special schools is also taken into account. The aforementioned article states, among other things: "In school education and training, education for independent and autonomous learning and the promotion of motivation are important prerequisites that enable lifelong learning." 

The differentiated 1st level : The 1st adaptation year and the 2nd vocational year 

Learners in the 1st adaptation year and the 2nd vocational year usually have major deficits in the general mastery of basic skills. This includes in particular elementary skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic. There are often also major deficits at the level of socio-emotional, personal and communicative skills. As a rule, lessons at the differentiated level are attended by learners who have not received an elementary school leaving certificate. 

In the differentiated level, the focus is on the individual pupil. A pedagogy that is strongly tailored to the specific needs of learners includes differentiation and competence orientation. The aim is to expand learners' basic skills and strengthen their socio-emotional and personal skills. Through student-activating learning situations that focus on competencies, learners are supported in their personal development, motivated and led to an increased level of competence.  

This differentiated work is intended to create the prerequisites required to enter a technical or vocational course of study after two years. 

Second stage (orientation stage) + third stage (destination stage) 

After completing the first level, i.e. at the beginning of the 3rd year of secondary school, the pupil is free to choose a course of study in one of the following three forms of education (provided that the promotion decision and the associated orientation certificate do not exclude certain fields of study): general education, technical education or vocational education. 

In all three forms of education, the second stage (orientation stage) comprises the 3rd and 4th secondary school year and the third stage (destination stage) the 5th and 6th secondary school year. In vocational education, a 7th year can be added in the third level, which means that the higher education entrance qualification can also be acquired in this form of education. 

The different fields of study of the three forms of education can also be formally differentiated according to another criterion, the actual direction of study. 

As a result, there are two educational pathways: transitional education and qualifying education. 

  • Transitional education includes all fields of study in general education and a few fields of study in technical education; 

  • Qualification teaching includes most fields of study in technical education and all fields of study in vocational education. 

  • As a result, there are two educational pathways: transitional teaching and qualifying teaching. 

  • Transitional education includes all fields of study in general education and a few fields of study in technical education; 

  • Qualification teaching includes most fields of study in technical education and all fields of study in vocational education. 

  • The main aim of transitional education courses is to prepare young people for university studies, but they also offer the opportunity to enter active working life with a certificate from upper secondary education. 

  • The main aim of the courses of study in vocational education is to provide access to active working life by awarding a certificate of competence after four years of education, but they also offer the opportunity to start university studies (in vocational education only after successfully completing the 7th year of secondary school). 

Framework plans and curricula 

The framework plans adopted by the Parliament of the German-speaking Community are the pedagogical reference texts for the planning, implementation and evaluation of teaching in all schools, at all levels and in the individual subject areas and subjects. They determine which educational objectives - the competence expectations - pupils should have acquired by a certain year level. In order to achieve these educational goals, the framework plans specify, among other things, which partial competencies - the references to the competency expectations identified in the framework plan - the children and young people must acquire in the individual teaching levels.  

School boards can create curricula based on the framework plans and have them come into force. If there is no framework plan adopted by the Parliament of the German-speaking Community for a subject or subject area, they can also bring school board-specific curricula into force for these selected subjects. Teachers are obliged to carry out their teaching work on the basis of the framework plan or curriculum. 

Over time, various framework plans have been adopted:  

- German language of instruction for elementary school and the first level of secondary school 

- German 1st foreign language for elementary school 

- German as the language of instruction for the 2nd and 3rd level of general and technical transition lessons at secondary school 

- German Language of instruction for the 2nd and 3rd level of technical aptitude and vocational education at secondary school 

- French 1st foreign language for elementary school and the first level of secondary school 

- French language of instruction for elementary school 

- French 1st foreign language for the 2nd and 3rd levels of general and technical transitional education at secondary school 

- French 1st foreign language for the 2nd and 3rd level of technical aptitude and vocational education at secondary school 

- Mathematics for elementary school and 1st level of secondary school 

- Mathematics for the 2nd and 3rd level of general education and technical transition lessons at secondary school 

- Mathematics for the 2nd and 3rd level of technical aptitude and vocational education at secondary school 

- Music/art for elementary school and 1st level of secondary school 

- Science/technology for elementary school and 1st level of secondary school 

- Science for the 2nd and 3rd level of general education and technical transition lessons at secondary school 

- History/geography for elementary school and 1st level of secondary school 

- History for the 2nd and 3rd level of general education and technical transition lessons at secondary school 

- History for the 2nd and 3rd level of technical aptitude and vocational education at secondary school 

- Geography for the 2nd and 3rd level of general education and technical transition lessons at secondary school 

- Geography for the 2nd and 3rd level of technical aptitude and vocational education at secondary school 

- Sport for elementary school and 1st level of secondary school 

- Sport for the 2nd and 3rd level of general education and technical transition lessons as well as vocational lessons at secondary school 

- English for the 2nd and 3rd level of general and technical transitional education at secondary school 

- Dutch for the 2nd and 3rd level of general and technical transitional education and vocational education at secondary school 

- Framework plan for vocational orientation 

- Framework plan ethics 

The curricula for religious education are submitted by the responsible cultural institutions to the Minister of Education for approval. 

Subjects 

Compulsory subjects in the first two years of general secondary education, i.e. until the end of compulsory full-time schooling, are: German language of instruction, mathematics, natural sciences, , French first foreign language, physical education, religion/ethics (non-denominational moral teaching), history, geography. 

With a few exceptions (languages and religion/ethics), which will be discussed in more detail later, the school authorities decide on the selection and number of hours of the individual subjects. The school is obliged to offer optional subjects.  

Language teaching 

The decree of April 19, 2004 on the teaching and use of languages in education stipulates that German is the language of instruction, whereby in secondary school up to a maximum of 50% of subject teaching (all subjects with the exception of modern languages) may be taught in French, the first foreign language. This does not apply to the first level of secondary education, where this percentage may rise to 65%, on condition that at this level the teaching in the schools concerned is organized in such a way that a pupil can choose between this teaching and teaching with a maximum proportion of subject teaching in French of 50%. 

In secondary education, French is the first foreign language. Depending on the form of teaching and the level, other foreign languages may be taught in mainstream secondary education, as determined by the school authority as part of the study program. 

The decree also stipulates that the duration of German lessons in general secondary education must be at least 4 lessons (50 minutes each) and the duration of French lessons must also be at least 4 lessons (50 minutes each). 

Religious education / ethics (non-denominational moral teaching) 

In Belgium, all public schools are obliged to offer a choice between religious education and non-denominational ethics lessons. 

When enrolling their child in a school of the official education system, the legal guardians decide whether the child will follow religious instruction or instruction in non-denominational moral teaching. This requires a written declaration from the legal guardian. 

The weekly timetable at secondary school includes two lessons (50 minutes each) for either religious education or non-denominational moral teaching. 

Teaching methods and teaching aids 

The basic decree of August 31, 1998 stipulates that each school authority is free to decide on the didactic principles and pedagogical methods in its schools on the recommendation of the Pedagogical Council. 

However, the framework plans for the individual subjects provide recommendations for the methodological and didactic design of lessons, so-called "recommendations for the quality of lesson design". These are guidelines and suggestions that are part of the recognized quality standards of competence-oriented teaching. 

The framework plans require the acquisition of information and media skills, as a result of which a guideline was developed in 2013 and has been regularly adapted to current requirements over time. These guidelines are not binding for school authorities, schools and teachers. The IMK guidelines are based on the pedagogical and didactic principles of the framework plans and are intended to serve as a guide for teachers to systematically build on the acquisition of information and media skills. The guide also offers specific materials and handouts that make it easier for teachers to teach information and media skills. 

Irrespective of this, the school media library supports the teaching and educational mission of the school and creates the conditions for the learners to be taught reading and information skills under optimal conditions in accordance with the requirements of the framework plans and curricula. In a regular secondary school with a government-approved media library, a full-time position for a teacher-media librarian is organized or subsidized. 

The framework plan "Vocational Orientation" supports teachers in fulfilling the obligation formulated in the 1998 basic decree to inform and advise learners and their parents/guardians about study, training and career opportunities in the classroom. However, this framework plan goes far beyond this obligation and promotes specific career choice-related knowledge, skills, experience and motivational attitudes of adolescents, which can be summarized as career choice competence. The development of this competence is a central pedagogical goal that should be flanked by appropriate learning opportunities in all subjects and in school life as a whole. Successful vocational orientation therefore combines conceptual and school-specific target dimensions that support the promotion of career choice competence with personnel and school organization-related aspects.