Summer schools will be continued and expanded | Education

The summer schools are an initiative of Ministers of the Interior Bart Somers (Open VLD) and Minister of Education Ben Weyts (N-VA). In a summer school, children and young people receive a tailor-made offer in July or August to prevent or remedy learning difficulties, in combination with play, culture and sport. The summer schools saw the light of day after the outbreak of the corona crisis in 2020. They have now been anchored and Ministers Somers and Weyts jointly provide 10 million euros for them annually.

In response to a question from N-VA MP Kathleen Krekels, education minister Ben Weyts says that the summer schools will also be organized in 2023. The Flemish government will soon launch a call to schools and local authorities for the organization this year.

Ministers Weyts and Somers also want to expand the system further and make it more widely known. They want to look for an organization or a company that can steer the expansion in the right direction and that can “unburden” organizers by, for example, taking on certain practical matters. A budget of 140,000 euros is provided for this assignment.

Member of Parliament Krekels applauds the plans. “The positive impact of the summer schools has been proven by the KU Leuven study. Nevertheless, we have seen from the past three years that it is almost always the same cities, municipalities and schools that organize summer schools. That is why I am pleased that the minister is taking the initiative to to increase awareness. There is still a lot of untapped potential,” says Krekels.

The government also foresees a new scientific evaluation of the system. An interim report is expected around the turn of the year 2023-2024.