1 in 20 Belgian Students Must Take Extra Dutch Hours

Nearly 3,800 students entering the first year of secondary school in Flanders — approximately 1 in 20 — will be required to take an additional three hours of Dutch language instruction per week starting in September 2026, according to new data released by the Flemish education agency AGODI. The measure is part of a sweeping 400 million euro “Language Heroes Plan” (Taalheldenplan) spearheaded by Flemish Minister of Education Zuhal Demir (N-VA) to address what she describes as the worst language proficiency crisis in the region’s history.

Context: A Growing Language Gap

The policy comes against a backdrop of significant demographic change in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium. According to figures from the Flemish Department of Education, the percentage of school-aged children who do not speak Dutch at home has risen from 18% to 27% over the past decade — an increase of 50%. In total, more than 306,000 students in Flemish education have a home language other than Dutch.

As VRT NWS reported, Minister Demir emphasized the stakes in parliamentary committee hearings, stating: “Those who are stronger in Dutch get more opportunities.” Research cited by her office shows that children who do not speak Dutch at home are three times more likely to leave school without a diploma.

The Numbers Behind the Policy

The data, based on AGODI registrations as of July 3, 2026, breaks down as follows:

• 1,469 students without a primary school certificate (14% of that group) must take the extra lessons
• 2,325 students with a primary school certificate (3.8% of that group) are also required
• Total: 3,794 students, or approximately 5% of incoming first-year secondary students

At the time of the data snapshot, 95.5% of regular primary schools had registered their certificates, compared to 69% in special needs primary education. The primary school class council decides which students qualify based on end-of-primary assessment, though secondary schools can adjust placements during the school year.

The extra Dutch lessons are to be scheduled on top of the regular curriculum, not replacing existing Dutch classes.

The Broader Language Heroes Plan

The mandatory secondary school measure is just one component of the Taalheldenplan, a comprehensive package approved by the Flemish Government in July 2025. The plan includes:

• Introductory Dutch classes (“instapklasjes”) for toddlers and their parents during school holidays
• Mandatory language screening from age 2.5 using a revised KOALA assessment tool
• Up to three hours of weekly language support in small groups from the first year of kindergarten
• “Taalheldklassen” (language hero classes) in primary education from 2026-2027, offering full Dutch immersion for up to two years
• Reformed OKAN reception education classes in secondary schools

As Demir stated on her official website: “The language problem in our education has never been this big and requires measures that have never been taken before.”

Implementation Challenges: The Teacher Shortage

While the policy has been broadly welcomed for addressing a critical equity issue, its implementation faces significant headwinds — most notably Flanders’ chronic teacher shortage. Teacher unions have been vocal in their concerns.

Nancy Libert, General Secretary of ACOD Onderwijs (the socialist teachers’ union), posed a pointed question to VRT NWS: “Who is going to teach those lessons?” She emphasized that teaching Dutch as a second language requires specialized didactic skills that not all teachers possess.

Marianne Coopman, President of COV (the Christian Teachers’ Union, the largest in primary education), warned that “additional lessons and training cannot simply be added on top. The workload is already inhumanely high.”

According to union figures cited in BRUZZ, approximately 10% of full-time teaching positions remain unfilled across Flanders, rising to 15-27% in urban centers like Brussels and Ghent. Additionally, 40% of special needs support hours are structurally unfilled.

Analysis: Equity, Integration, and Political Dynamics

The Language Heroes Plan represents one of the most interventionist approaches to language education in Flanders’ recent history. Minister Demir, herself the daughter of Turkish immigrants, has framed the policy as a matter of social justice. “Language delay is a burden you carry for life,” she said. “The sooner we take it off children’s shoulders, the stronger they are in class and in life.”

The 400 million euro investment — described as “historic” by Demir — signals the priority the Flemish government places on language proficiency as a gateway to integration and economic participation. However, the policy also highlights tensions between the governing N-VA’s emphasis on Dutch language and Flemish identity, and opposition parties’ concerns about adequate resourcing.

Opposition MPs Gianna Werbrouck (Vooruit) and Kim Buyst (Groen) raised parliamentary questions about implementation feasibility, particularly in urban areas where the need is greatest. Demir has responded that the education inspectorate will take the novelty of the measure into account during school reviews.

What to Watch For

As the September 2026 implementation deadline approaches, several key questions remain:

1. Can enough qualified teachers be recruited to deliver the program, particularly in high-need urban areas?
2. How will the program be evaluated, and what metrics will determine its success?
3. Will the policy disproportionately affect students in cities with higher concentrations of non-Dutch speaking families?
4. What happens if a student or family refuses the mandatory extra lessons?

The Flemish Government has indicated that schools received guidance and resource frameworks via a service letter in April 2026, with training and support continuing through the summer. Whether this will be sufficient to meet the ambitious September start date remains to be seen.

This article was based on reporting from VRT NWS, BRUZZ, and official government sources.