More than 1.2 million children headed back to school in Flanders on Monday, marking the start of a year with some major changes for pupils, parents, and teachers.
While French-speaking schools reopened last week, Flemish schools are now settling into the first term with new rules and updated expectations.
One of the biggest shifts is a smartphone ban. In primary schools and the first two years of secondary, phones and similar devices are no longer allowed at all. Older secondary students can keep their phones, but only outside of class—individual schools will decide how strict to be. Exceptions will remain for pupils who need devices for medical reasons or special needs.
Another important update: schools can begin working with new minimum learning goals in primary education. These won’t be mandatory until 2026, but many are already preparing. It’s the first big overhaul since 1997, aiming to give teachers a clearer framework and students a stronger foundation in core subjects like Dutch, maths, and science. Officials describe the new goals as “knowledge-rich,” meant to bring more structure and clarity to the classroom.
Other changes this year include:
- Stricter truancy rules: parents of children who skip school regularly will lose school allowances after one year, instead of two.
- Extra Dutch lessons for pupils struggling with the language.
- A new Catholic religion curriculum being introduced.
- Free healthy meals for thousands of children in selected schools.
Education minister Zuhal Demir says these steps are designed to modernize Flemish education and better support both teachers and students. Photo by Queeste, Wikimedia commons.