The opposition parties Groen and Vooruit believe that students in the fourth year of the nursing course should be able to keep their compensation. For the greens, this may even involve full compensation for the internship period, which covers almost the entire year.
Together with the extension of the nursing course to four years, the Flemish government decided in 2019 to introduce compensation for fourth-year students. After all, that last year is almost a full internship year, says director Robbe Van Leemput of the Association of Flemish Students (VVS) to Het Laatste Nieuws. This concerns a compensation of 1,000 euros, which was paid out over the past three years.
However, a problem arises for this year. The office of Minister of Welfare Hilde Crevits (CD&V) confirms that it has not yet been decided whether the compensation will also be available this year. According to the minister, it was never the intention to continue paying the compensation, but to anchor the additional study year in the VIO statute (nurse in training). The full statute surrounding this final phase of the training is currently being examined in consultation with employers, although it is the minister’s wish to provide clarity quickly.
According to Groen co-chairman Jeremie Vaneeckhout, the students should not only receive the compensation. He advocates full compensation for the internship period, regardless of whether the student graduates or not. “Work done deserves fair compensation,” says Vaneeckhout. “Students pay registration fees for the course, have to incur travel costs and perform very useful work for society. It is only logical that their internship is placed at the same level as the internship of a medical student and that the students are fully compensated.”
Enrollment figures are declining
The Green co-chair also noted that enrollment figures for the course have fallen since the introduction of the fourth year. In 2022, 35 percent fewer students will start their bachelor’s degree, while the number of vacancies is systematically increasing, it is said.
At Vooruit, Flemish MP Thijs Verbeurgt also believes that the students deserve compensation for the expenses they incur, because they are actually deployed as full-fledged employees. “We have a shortage of nurses, healthcare is crying out for extra workers and the Flemish government is making excuses at the last minute. The fact that after three years there is still no structural solution for these students is yet another example of failed Flemish policy,” concludes Verbeurgt.
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