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Belgium lags behind in language education at primary school level, study shows

12:48 26/09/2016

Only about 37% of Belgian primary school students are taught a foreign language, according to a study by the Statistical Office of the European Union on the occasion of the European Day of Languages. Children across the country are therefore starting too late with learning a second language, write Het Nieuwsblad and Het Belang van Limburg.

"In 2004, French became a compulsory subject for the fifth- and sixth graders in Flemish education," education expert Peter Van Petegem told the newspapers. “While all of our 10- and 11-year-olds may be learning a foreign language, before that age, almost none of them were. That pulls our percentage down a lot compared to other EU countries.”

Only Portugal scores worse than Belgium, with 36.2% of primary school students learning a second language. VUB educator Els Consuegra is not surprised by the results. "We don't prioritise language education enough. We often think we are doing well, when in fact we are preventing ourselves from being open to innovation.”

Written by Robyn Boyle

Comments

CC_R

And yet more children turn out multilingual even the staff at macdonalds seem to speak Flemish French and English. I imagine uk came bottom

Sep 27, 2016 08:33
fpat1946

To look at it more positively: 63 per cent of Belgian primary school children are taught foreign languages....

And they usually speak them VERY well.

I doubt if more than a handful of British children learn a foreign language at primary level...

The proof of the pudding is in the eating: my postman in Wezembeek speaks: French, Dutch, German and English...as do the butcher, the baker and the candle-stick maker:-)

Sep 27, 2016 12:10
johanwilliam

Mostly Belgium primary school level English language is very tricky and hard, That why students weren't able to complete their assigned task and then searching for Best Assignment Help for the completion of their assigned task.

May 10, 2018 13:32
Michael12

In today's world, it has become necessary for students to learn a foreign language because without this you can compete in today's growing and fast world Schools in Belgium should consider this thing and teachers of the school give them a task like assignment services uk to students on the foreign languages.

Mar 25, 2019 08:12
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Nov 13, 2019 09:59