As of today, all students in the fourth year of primary education and the second year of secondary education will take the Flemish tests for the first time. These must contribute to the fight against declining education quality. By 2027, all students will be presented with the central tests at four points during their school career. The Flemish School Association is concerned about the increasing school stress that this may involve.
The Flemish tests focus on Dutch and mathematics and are administered and processed digitally. Children are not supposed to have to study for the tests. Schools decide for themselves whether the results count for the report or not.
The central keys are a hobbyhorse of Weyts. He sees them as a tool to improve the quality of education and calls it “a small revolution”. According to him, we are one of the few countries where central tests do not yet exist. The educational field still has to rely on foreign studies, which only take place every few years and among a select number of students.
“Instrument to intervene”
“Thanks to these tests, schools receive an instrument to compare themselves with other schools with a similar population,” Weyts explains. They are “an instrument to intervene in schools that are underperforming”. The minister points out that sanctions will never be imposed solely on the basis of the results, but that they can be the reason for an additional inspection of a school.
Initially, students in the fourth year of primary education and the second year of secondary education will take the tests. In May 2026, sixth grade students will participate for the first time, followed by sixth grade students in May 2027. By then, 290,000 Flemish students will have taken standardized tests.
Feedback not until June
“Students in Flanders are already presented with a lot of tests,” responds Lore Sleeckx, chairwoman of the Student Federation. “These tests are a major source of school stress. The fact that Flemish tests are now coming mainly sounds to students as ‘even more tests’. After all, few if any schools are planning to drop other tests.”
The School Association also points out that the purpose of the new tests is vague for many students. “If you expect students to commit more than 100 minutes per test moment, it is important for their motivation that they know why in advance,” says Sleeckx.
The Student Federation also denounces the fact that feedback from the tests only comes in June. “Many students feel that the fact that there is virtually no debriefing with a teacher is a missed learning opportunity. This feels very unpleasant because this is about educational quality.”
“Hours on train and/or bus”
To view the tests, students and parents must submit an application to the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training and travel to Brussels on the day of the inspection. “We understand the concerns about the confidentiality of the test questions. But for many students it is a major hurdle to travel to our capital and it means sitting on a train and/or bus for hours,” says Sleeckx. “Students just want to be able to view their test at school. In this way we make it very difficult for students who want to learn from their test results.”
“Finally, we advocate a thorough evaluation after the first year with the tests (and thereafter). The experiences of the students must also be taken into account,” says Sleeckx.
Also read: Starting tomorrow, 150,000 students will take Flemish tests: what exactly are they and what can schools, students and parents learn from them? (+)
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Tags: Major source school stress Flemish School Association critical tests fourth year year secondary school Education
