Belgium (DE): Embracing the new legal framework on homework
In 2022, the OECD's scientific analysis of the Belgian German-speaking Community's education system highlighted its notably strong homework culture in comparison to other systems. In a 2019 survey on the vision of the German-speaking Communty‘s education system, 57% of respondents were in favour of more homework support.
In response to these findings and the recommendations of Dr. S. Moroni, a homework researcher at the Bern University of Teacher Education, a new legal framework has been established to guide schools. The decree of 26th June 2023 contains measures for the implementation of school assignments for primary and secondary schools, such as a maximum duration per working day that pupils in primary school should spend on school assignments.
The duration increases with the age of the pupils from the first to the last stage of primary school:
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a total of max. 15 minutes per working day in the 1st and 2nd school year;
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a total of max. 20 minutes per working day in the 3rd and 4th school year;
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a total of max. 30 minutes per working day in the 5th and 6th school year.
These time requirements do not apply to secondary schools.
Furthermore, as a step towards educational equity, plans are underway to provide all pupils with free homework supervision, with the aim of implementing this initiative in schools by September 2024.
For more information:
Source: Eurydice Unit Belgium (DE)
