Teachers’ Union Slams Minister Over ‘19th Century’ Schools

The head of Belgium’s largest teachers’ union has accused Education Minister Valérie Glatigny of pushing through reforms that would drag the country’s schools back to the 19th century, as a wave of strikes threatens to disrupt end-of-year exams across French-speaking Belgium.

Roland Lahaye, Secretary General of the CSC-Enseignement (Christian trade union for education), delivered the blistering critique during an interview on RTBF’s “Matin Première” radio program on May 26, 2026. The comments come as teachers across the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB) — the French-speaking community government responsible for education in Wallonia and Brussels — escalate their protest against the government’s controversial “décret-programme.”

The Core Dispute

At the heart of the conflict is a sweeping legislative package introduced by the MR-Les Engagés coalition government. The décret-programme bundles significant budget cuts with structural reforms, including a 3% reduction in teaching staff allocation, the restructuring of the 7th year in technical and vocational education, and changes to teacher appointment rules that would replace permanent civil servant status with contracts of indefinite duration.

Lahaye did not mince words in his assessment of the minister’s vision. “She is returning to what existed two centuries ago,” he said. “A school that would probably have been considered good in the 19th century but is no longer at all adapted to the 21st. A school that sorts, an elitist school.” He accused Glatigny of practicing “low-quality pedagogy” and said her approach to consultation was disingenuous: “Whatever she says, Minister Glatigny does not consult. This is not real consultation. She plays on words by saying ‘I bring people together,’ but it changes nothing.”

Escalating Strike Action

The union leader warned that the situation has reached a critical point. “The fed-up feeling is general,” Lahaye declared. “If we let things go without doing anything, we’re heading straight for catastrophe.” He added starkly: “The house is on fire.”

A strike notice has now been extended until July 10, 2026, raising the prospect of significant disruption to end-of-year examinations. While Lahaye acknowledged the potential impact on students, he placed the responsibility squarely on the government. “It’s the government that forces us to sacrifice it [the exam session],” he said. “It’s the government’s choice.”

According to DH (La Dernière Heure), the three main unions — CSC-Enseignement, CGSP-Enseignement, and Setca-Sel — are all calling for strike action, with picket lines appearing across Wallonia and Brussels since May 18.

Widespread Institutional Opposition

The opposition to the reforms extends well beyond the unions. Approximately 250 school directors from the free (Catholic) education network — which educates the majority of students in the FWB — protested outside the headquarters of Les Engagés, the centrist coalition partner. This indicates significant tension within the government’s own political base, as Les Engagés has traditional ties to the Catholic education network.

Opposition politicians have also weighed in. Martin Casier of the PS has denounced the décret-programme as a “runaway train” that will “create chaos in schools,” while the Green party Ecolo has accused the government of “organizing chaos” and filed a series of amendments to delay or block the measures.

A Departure from the Pacte d’Excellence

Lahaye argued that the current reforms represent a fundamental break from the “Pacte pour un Enseignement d’Excellence” — a decade-long, collaborative reform effort launched to improve education quality in the FWB. While acknowledging the Pacte was “perfectible,” he noted that since April 2025, no meetings have brought together all stakeholders, effectively ending the collaborative model.

The French-speaking Belgian education system faces significant structural challenges, including consistently low performance in international PISA rankings and a severe teacher shortage, with many young teachers leaving the profession within their first years. The government argues its reforms are necessary to address these problems and achieve fiscal consolidation.

What’s Next

The décret-programme was scheduled for a vote on May 27, 2026, but has been repeatedly delayed after opposition parties filed amendments and the Council of State was asked for an opinion. With the strike notice extended to July 10, the coming weeks could see continued disruption to schools across Wallonia and Brussels.

Minister Glatigny has defended the reforms, arguing they are necessary to stabilize the situation for young teachers and address the system’s structural problems. But with institutional opposition mounting from unions, school directors, and opposition parties, the path forward remains deeply uncertain. The conflict ultimately represents a fundamental disagreement about the direction of education reform in French-speaking Belgium — between a collaborative, stakeholder-driven model and a top-down, efficiency-driven approach.”