Vote on Controversial Education Decree Postponed After 15-Hour Debate in Wallonia-Brussels
The vote on the Wallonia-Brussels Federation's 'program decree II' was postponed following fifteen hours of intense debate in the Budget and Higher Education Committee. The delay resulted from amendments submitted by the opposition Socialist Party (PS), which required further legal review by the Council of State. The decree includes contentious measures such as increasing full school tuition fees from 835 to 1,194 euros for most students and raising the weekly teaching workload for upper secondary teachers from 20 to 22 hours without additional pay. These austerity measures, proposed by the MR-Engagés government led by Elisabeth Degryse, have sparked significant unrest, including student protests and teacher strikes. Opposition leaders criticized the government for ignoring warnings from the Higher Council of Study Allowances regarding implementation feasibility and for refusing to hear key stakeholders. Despite the criticism, the majority maintains that consultation occurred and insists on proceeding with the reforms to address budgetary constraints, highlighting a deep political divide over the future of education funding and labor conditions in the region.
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Vote on Controversial Education Decree Postponed After 15-Hour Debate in Wallonia-Brussels
The vote on the Wallonia-Brussels Federation's 'program decree II' was postponed following fifteen hours of intense debate in the Budget and Higher Education Committee. The delay resulted from amendments submitted by the opposition Socialist Party (PS), which required further legal review by the Council of State. The decree includes contentious measures such as increasing full school tuition fees from 835 to 1,194 euros for most students and raising the weekly teaching workload for upper secondary teachers from 20 to 22 hours without additional pay. These austerity measures, proposed by the MR-Engagés government led by Elisabeth Degryse, have sparked significant unrest, including student protests and teacher strikes. Opposition leaders criticized the government for ignoring warnings from the Higher Council of Study Allowances regarding implementation feasibility and for refusing to hear key stakeholders. Despite the criticism, the majority maintains that consultation occurred and insists on proceeding with the reforms to address budgetary constraints, highlighting a deep political divide over the future of education funding and labor conditions in the region.
Le Soir