Batu (17) confronts education minister Weyts with poverty problems, Weyts: “Social policy must tackle this” | VTM News

17-year-old Batu tries to get his diploma through the middle jury. He currently combines two jobs to make ends meet. “My friends did a hobby, but my parents couldn’t afford the registration fee,” says Batu. “We couldn’t afford the meals at school. I was not feeling well and had a headache. The invoices came in and bailiffs knocked. I couldn’t be a child.”

Batu has dyslexia, but he couldn’t afford speech therapy. He was forced to work so that he could help his family financially.

“I have read that you think that it is not up to the school to tackle poverty, but then my question is whose task it is”, Batu asks Weyts. “Local social policy, of course,” the minister responds. “At a local level you can react quickly. Even if the school were to pay the bill, you know there are many other bills that the family will not be able to pay. So you haven’t solved anything.”

Batu states that Weyts does not want to do anything about the problem. “That is a harsh statement,” says Weyts. “I think we have a core task from the point of view of education. Teachers must teach and teach skills,” it says. Batu regrets the reaction of the minister of education.

“We have a Minister of Poverty and Equal Opportunities and a Minister of Welfare,” Weyts continues. “It is a strong signal when parents cannot pay their school invoices. Then you know as a school that there is a problem. The CLB must immediately contact the social policy and the parents. That network needs to improve.”