Belgian Teachers Vow to Block End-of-Year Exams Amid Education Crisis
Teachers unions in French-speaking Belgium have formally called on the government to cancel external end-of-year examinations in schools disrupted by weeks of strike action and classroom walkouts, escalating a bitter conflict over education reforms that has paralyzed the final weeks of the academic year.
In a letter sent to Education Minister Valérie Glatigny on Tuesday, the joint union front argued that approximately 150,000 students cannot be properly prepared for the standardized CEB (sixth primary), CE1D (second secondary), and CESS (sixth secondary) exams due to ongoing disruptions, according to RTBF.
“Questions arise about the relevance of forcing students to take exams under these particular conditions,” the unions stated, as reported by La Libre Belgique.
Teachers Prepare to Block Exams
In the Liège region, teachers have announced they will actively prevent the administration of the exams through picket lines and rotating strikes. Schools affected include the Athénée Royal de Waremme, Air Pur in Seraing, the Centre Provincial d’Enseignement in Herstal, and the Athénée Maurice Destenay in Liège, according to RTBF.
“It would be absurd to make students take these exams when they have already been at home for three weeks,” said Antoine Nahon, a teacher at IPES de Herstal.
Johan Van de Plas, a mathematics teacher at Athénée Maurice Destenay, went further: “Agreeing to administer the exams is already a violent thing to do to students who haven’t had class in over a month. Moreover, it would mean accepting to work under the orders of a minister who does not respect us.”
Minister Refuses to Back Down
Minister Valérie Glatigny has firmly rejected any cancellation, insisting the exams are legally mandated by decree and will proceed as scheduled. The CEB exams are set to begin on June 18, followed by the CE1D and CESS on June 19, as reported by 7sur7.
“These assessments are maintained in the interest of students, so that we can verify they have acquired the necessary learning to continue their schooling,” Glatigny said. She argued that standardized tests ensure equal treatment and that canceling them would disproportionately harm disadvantaged students.
The minister also pointed to existing legal safeguards: if students cannot take an exam due to justified external circumstances such as a strike, class councils retain the authority to award certificates based on year-long assessments, including report cards and teacher evaluations, according to RTBF.
A Crisis Years in the Making
The exam dispute is the culmination of months of escalating tensions over education policy reforms adopted by the MR-Les Engagés government. The contested decree-program, passed by the Parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles on June 4-5 after a 14-hour debate, includes austerity measures such as the end of the seventh year in technical education, reduced teaching hours, and a budget freeze.
Unions have been in open conflict with the government since late 2024, staging multiple strikes. A 10-day walkout from May 18-27 severely disrupted classes, and the June 4-5 vote sparked large protests and controversial police interventions.
What Happens Next
Teachers face potential disciplinary action, including dismissal, for refusing to administer the exams. However, the scale of the disruption may make enforcement impractical. The Wallonie-Bruxelles Enseignement administration has called for solidarity among non-striking staff to ensure exams proceed.
Union leader Luc Toussaint of CGSP-Enseignement warned: “Social dialogue has absolutely not been restored. It is logical to continue this movement. There is no reason to stop now. The government must take its responsibilities.”
With just over a week until the first exams, the standoff shows no signs of resolution, leaving the fate of 150,000 students uncertain as both sides dig in.