Place shortage in Antwerp special education continues in secondary education (Antwerp)

A few weeks after it became apparent that the shortage of places in special primary education in and around Antwerp remains significant, the figures for special secondary education (BuSO) have also been announced. Of the 762 children who were registered, 472 (62 percent) were allocated a place in a school. 290 children, 38 percent, do not yet have a place.

According to the Local Consultation Platform (LOP), the shortages are greatest in training form 1 for type 2 (children with an intellectual disability) and type 9 (autism spectrum disorder), and in training form 4 for type 9 1A and 1B (also autism spectrum disorder). “Deficits in the BuSO continue to exist, despite the efforts made by schools and school boards,” acknowledges LOP chairman Luc Claessens. “We are doing our best to inform parents who have not yet received an allocation as best as possible about places that will become available.”

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The figures for mainstream secondary education are much better. 94 percent of the children who were registered for the A-stream already have a place in a preferred school. In the B stream this is 70 percent, but since many parents have registered their child twice because they do not yet know whether their child will obtain a certificate this year, a lot of places may become available again. Moreover, there has been a sharp increase in the number of parents who made such a double registration.

“We ask these parents to release the place they do not need as quickly as possible,” says Claessens. “This way, parents who have not yet received an allocation in 1A or 1B can use these places. We closely monitor developments together with the city of Antwerp and education providers so that schools can organize themselves accordingly where necessary and to the extent possible.”

The parents of children registered twice will be contacted at the end of June to provide clarity.

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