Unions Oppose Plan That Worsens Working Conditions for Teachers
-
Loading... - Phoebe Ward
- 31 Jan 2025
- 51 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
In Belgium, teachers are facing a crisis characterized by burnout, significant staff shortages, and a lack of respect for their profession. Many educators, feeling undervalued and demotivated, are even advising their own children against pursuing a career in teaching. These pressing issues have led to widespread strikes among teachers, particularly in Wallonia and Brussels.
On January 27th and 28th, 2025, teaching unions organized a 48-hour strike across all schools in these regions to protest against government measures that they believe will further deteriorate working conditions. The unions have united to denounce cost-cutting measures proposed by the MR-Engagés government, particularly concerning vocational education.
One of the key concerns is that these cost-cutting measures will push students over the age of 18 into adult education programs, where they would be studying alongside much older peers. Unions argue that this approach is not conducive to effective learning for younger students and could lead to the loss of approximately 500 teaching jobs. However, Valérie Glatigny, the Minister of Education for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, has strongly denied these job loss claims.
Additionally, unions are opposing plans to replace the permanent appointment of teachers as public servants with indefinite-term contracts. They argue that such changes, along with other reforms outlined in the majority party agreement last summer, will have a lasting negative impact on the quality and accessibility of education, as well as worsen working conditions for teachers.
The strike on January 27th saw around 30,000 teachers demonstrating in the streets of Brussels, significantly impacting the operation of schools. On the second day of the strike, January 28th, teachers planned decentralized activities, including picketing in front of schools. Following the strike, unions intend to assess the situation and determine the next steps in their protest movement.
Support for the Belgian educators has also come from unions across Europe. Jelmer Evers, Director for the European Region for Education International (ETUCE), expressed solidarity with the teachers in Wallonia and Brussels, emphasizing the importance of addressing budget cuts in technical and vocational education, the potential job losses, and the proposed changes to teacher appointments. Evers highlighted that these measures threaten both the quality of education and the working conditions of teachers, underscoring the urgent need for action to ensure a sustainable future for education in Belgium.
