Belgium Education Chief Admits Reform Measures Came Too Late

Elisabeth Degryse, the Minister-President of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (French Community of Belgium), has acknowledged in a candid interview that her government took “certain education measures too late” — a rare admission from a sitting minister-president that comes amid escalating teacher protests and a deepening budgetary crisis. Speaking to La Libre Belgique, Degryse expressed understanding of teacher anger while defending the MR-Les Engagés government’s austerity measures as necessary for fiscal stability.

Context: A Government Under Pressure

Degryse, who took office in July 2024 following the federal elections, leads a coalition between the liberal MR (Mouvement Réformateur) and the centrist Les Engagés. She inherited a Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles grappling with a staggering €14.25 billion in debt — equivalent to 105% of its annual revenues. The government committed to €500 million in savings over four years (2025-2029), with €255 million in cuts approved for 2026 alone, as reported by RTBF.

Education, which accounts for the largest share of the federation’s budget, has borne the brunt of these cuts. Teacher salaries alone represent approximately 80% of education spending, making the sector an unavoidable target for the government’s cost-saving drive.

Key Measures Sparking Outrage

The austerity package, announced following an October 2025 budget conclave, includes several controversial measures. Secondary upper-level teachers face an increase from 20 to 22 teaching periods per week without salary compensation. University tuition fees (minerval) will be indexed for the first time since 2011, rising from €835 to approximately €1,200. End-of-career benefits have been reduced, sick leave provisions made less favorable, and pedagogical detachments curtailed.

According to L’Avenir, these “shock measures” were deemed essential to keep the federation’s annual deficit at €1.2 billion rather than the projected €1.5 billion.

Protests Intensify

The reforms have triggered sustained protest movements. On May 22, approximately 500 teachers demonstrated in Brussels against the austerity plan, as La Libre Belgique reported. Days later, on May 26, several hundred secondary school directors gathered in the capital to voice their concerns. Student protests have also punctuated the spring, with approximately 3,000 students marching on March 24 and 700 on May 6 against the tuition fee increases.

The “Mars Attacks” movement, led by teacher Mathieu Hovine, has emerged as a particularly vocal force in the opposition. Union representatives have been scathing in their criticism. Luc Toussaint of the CGSP union stated that “it’s been more than 30 years that teachers’ work has been used as a budget adjustment variable.”

Degryse’s Candid Admission

In her interview with La Libre Belgique, Degryse struck a notably conciliatory tone. “I completely understand their anger and it’s normal that it can be expressed,” she said. “We are aware that we are taking difficult measures. But I also want to tell them that it is essential to place students at the heart of our concerns.”

She emphasized the need to protect the “Covid generation” — students who already experienced significant disruption during the pandemic lockdowns. However, her acknowledgment that certain measures were taken “too late” represents a significant departure from the usual defensive posture of political leaders facing protest movements.

In a companion interview published simultaneously, Degryse addressed the possibility of creating indefinite-term contracts (CDI) for teachers, stating bluntly: “If the creation of a CDI for teachers is unpayable, we will not do it.” She defended the government’s fiscal approach, noting that the in-depth budgetary reflection launched in April 2025 “is bearing fruit.”

Analysis: Between Fiscal Necessity and Political Risk

Degryse’s admission carries significant political implications. Coming just days after the final parliamentary vote on the budget on May 27, the timing suggests a leader attempting to de-escalate tensions while standing firm on policy. However, the acknowledgment of tardiness could embolden opposition parties — particularly the PS and PTB — as well as the unions, who have argued that the government’s approach prioritizes austerity over educational quality.

The structural nature of the crisis presents no easy solutions. With debt exceeding annual revenues and limited room for maneuver, the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles faces a prolonged period of fiscal constraint. The question remains whether Degryse’s admission will translate into any policy adjustments, or whether it will remain a rhetorical gesture aimed at managing an increasingly restive education sector.

What’s Next

As the 2026 school year approaches, the government must navigate the implementation of these deeply unpopular measures while maintaining basic functionality in schools. The fate of the proposed CDI for teachers remains uncertain, contingent on negotiations with the federal government over social security costs. Meanwhile, the protest movements show no signs of abating, and the political fallout from Degryse’s candid acknowledgment of policy failures is likely to reverberate through Belgian politics in the months ahead.