Liberals want to lower compulsory education age to five

Belgium’s liberal parties Open Vld and MR have submitted a proposal to lower the age at which compulsory education begins to five. The measure in intended to increase the skill levels of children starting school.

Current legislation states that education must start by six, the age at which children begin the first year of primary school. The liberal parties want to make it obligatory to start in the third year of pre-school.

According to figures from the Higher Institute of Labour, 16% of two-and-a-half- to three-year-olds don’t attend the first year of pre-school. Among children of foreign origin, the percentage is 36%. Children of single-parent families and of low-skilled parents are also less likely to attend.                                                                                                                                                         

“Because underprivileged children go to school at a later age, they immediately start with a handicap,” said Patrick Dewael of Open Vld. “Studies show that these children more often have arrears in learning, which hinders them in the rest of their school career. Because of this, more youngsters leave school without a diploma.”

The liberals feel that the earlier underprivileged children get to know school, the better their chances of a good future. “By lowering the compulsory education age, teachers can track and deal with learning deficits earlier,” said Dewael. “So we increase the chances of a diploma at a later age.”

Although education is the responsibility of the Belgian communities, determining the compulsory education age is a federal matter.