Belgian Teachers Strike Thursday as Exams Cancelled in Liège Over Education Reforms
Teachers across French-speaking Belgium have been called to strike on Thursday by the Common Union Front to protest the impending vote on a decree-program that implements sweeping austerity measures in education. The industrial action comes as final exams have already been cancelled in 13 secondary schools run by the Province of Liège, with further disruptions expected across the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB).
Background: A System Under Pressure
The MR-Engagés government of the FWB is pursuing a series of budget cuts aimed at reducing a chronic deficit of approximately €500 million by 2029. The most controversial measures target education — the federation’s core competency — and include a 10% increase in teaching hours for upper secondary teachers without salary compensation, a less generous sick leave regime for statutory teachers, and a tightening of end-of-career arrangements. The decree-program also raises tuition fees (minerval) from €835 to €1,194 for 58% of students and reduces funding for free school supplies and meals, according to RTL Info.
Key Developments
Strike Call and Union Response
The Common Union Front, representing the major education unions, announced the strike action on Wednesday, calling on teachers to make Thursday “an exceptional day of mobilization.” In a strongly worded statement cited by RTBF, the unions accused the government of attempting to “force through” the decree-program “in disregard of the very rules of functioning of parliament.” The statement warned that the austerity measures “will profoundly reduce the resources for supervising young people, degrade the working conditions of the staff entrusted to them, and plunge the education system into chaos.”
Jorre De Witte, union secretary of CGSP Enseignement, told VRT NWS that “the schools as we know them today are being dismantled and we are slowly moving toward an American system: when public education is dismantled, private education will gain ground.”
Exam Cancellations in Liège
Final exams have been cancelled in 13 secondary schools run by the Province of Liège, following earlier cancellations by the City of Liège. The affected schools span multiple municipalities including Flémalle, Herstal, Huy, Jemeppe, La Reid, Liège, Ougrée, Seraing, Verviers, and Waremme. External certification exams (CEB, CE1D, CESS) and qualification exams for 6th and 7th year students are being maintained for now. De Witte noted that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that “in special cases, organizing exams is not that important at all,” adding that there remains a full month until July 3 to make up for lost lessons if the government relents.
Creative Protest Actions
In a symbolic protest on Tuesday morning, Brussels teachers affiliated with CSC Enseignement placed a suitcase at the home of Education Minister Valérie Glatigny (MR) in Auderghem, accompanied by a mock boarding pass reading “Destination: Far, very far” and “Boarding time: immediately.” The minister’s husband received the items and listened to the teachers’ grievances. “A law, if it is voted, can be repealed,” one protester said, as reported by RTL Info.
Political Crisis Deepens
The decree-program was approved by the Budget Committee in the night of June 1-2, with the majority voting against the opposition. However, a procedural obstacle remains: opposition parties Ecolo and PTB refused to grant confidence to the rapporteur, meaning a new Budget Committee meeting must be convened to formally approve the report before the text can proceed to plenary session, as La Libre reports.
Adding to the institutional tension, Parliament President Benoît Dispa (Les Engagés) has convened an emergency plenary session for Thursday. Opposition parties Ecolo and PS are demanding his resignation, accusing him of violating parliamentary rules in his handling of the decree-program’s passage, according to RTBF.
Broader Context and Implications
The education protests in French-speaking Belgium are part of a wider wave of social unrest over austerity measures. Discontent has also been brewing in Flanders over education reforms, with VRT NWS noting grievances “both north and south of the language border.” The federal government under Prime Minister Bart De Wever is simultaneously implementing its own austerity program, contributing to a broader climate of social tension.
What to Watch For
Thursday’s strike and the emergency plenary session will be critical tests of both the government’s resolve and the strength of the protest movement. If the procedural obstacles are resolved, a final plenary vote on the decree-program is expected the following week. The outcome will have significant implications not only for education in French-speaking Belgium but also for the broader trajectory of austerity politics in the country.