Overview Belgium (German Speaking Community)
Contents
1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Political, Social and Economic Background and
Trends
1.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Historical Development
1.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Executive and Legislative Bodies
1.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Population: Demographic Situation,
Languages and Religions
1.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Political and Economic Situation
2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation and Governance
2.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Fundamental Principles and National Policies
2.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Lifelong Learning Strategy
2.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of the Education System and of
its Structure
2.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Private Education
2.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Qualifications Framework
2.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Administration and Governance at Central
and/or Regional Level
2.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Administration and Governance at Local
and/or Institutional Level
2.8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Statistics on Organisation and Governance
3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Funding in Education
3.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Early Childhood and School Education
Funding
3.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Higher Education Funding
3.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Adult Education and Training Funding
4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Early Childhood Education and Care
4.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Programmes for Children
under 2-3 years
4.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Programmes for
Children under 2-3 years
4.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Programmes for Children
under 2-3 years
4.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Programmes for Children
over 2-3 years
4.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Programmes for
Children over 2-3 years
4.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Programmes for Children over
2-3 years
4.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisational Variations and Alternative
Structures in Early Childhood Education and Care
5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Primary Education
5.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Primary Education
5.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Primary Education
5.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Primary Education
5.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisational Variations and Alternative
Structures in Primary Education
6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Secondary and Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary
Education
6.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of General Secondary Education
6.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in General Secondary
Education
6.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in General Secondary Education
6.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Technical Secondary
Education
6.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Technical
Secondary Education
6.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Technical Secondary
Education
6.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Vocational Secondary
Education
6.8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Vocational
Secondary Education
6.9 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Vocational Secondary
Education
6.10 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of Post-Secondary NonTertiary Education
6.11 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and Learning in Post-Secondary
Non-Tertiary Education
6.12 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary
Education
7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Higher Education
7.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Types of Higher Education Institutions
7.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:First Cycle Programmes
7.2.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Bachelor
7.2.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Short-Cycle Higher Education
7.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Second Cycle Programmes
7.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Programmes outside the Bachelor and Master
Structure
7.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Third Cycle (PhD) Programmes
8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Adult Education and Training
8.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Distribution of Responsibilities
8.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Developments and Current Policy Priorities
8.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Providers
8.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Types of Provision
8.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Validation of Non-formal and Informal
Learning
9 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teachers and Education Staff
9.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for Teachers Working in
Early Childhood and School Education
9.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of Service for Teachers Working
in Early Childhood and School Education
9.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing Professional Development for
Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
9.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for Academic Staff in Higher
Education
9.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of Service for Academic Staff
Working in Higher Education
9.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing Professional Development for
Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
9.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for Teachers and Trainers
Working in Adult Education and Training
9.8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of Service for Teachers and
Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
9.9 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing Professional Development for
Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
10 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management and Other Education Staff
10.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff for Early Childhood and
School Education
10.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Staff Involved in Monitoring Educational
Quality for Early Childhood and School Education
10.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Education Staff Responsible for Guidance in
Early Childhood and School Education
10.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education Staff or Staff Working with
Schools
10.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff for Higher Education
10.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in
Higher Education
10.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff Working in Adult
Education and Training
10.8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in
Adult Education and Training
11 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance
11.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in Early Childhood and
School Education
11.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in Higher Education
11.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in Adult Education and
Training
12 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Educational Support and Guidance
12.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Special Education Needs Provision within
Mainstream Education
12.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Separate Special Education Needs Provision
in Early Childhood and School Education
12.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures for Learners in Early
Childhood and School Education
12.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and Counselling in Early
Childhood and School Education
12.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures for Learners in Higher
Education
12.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and Counselling in Higher
Education
12.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures for Learners in Adult
Education and Training
12.8 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and Counselling in a Lifelong
Learning Approach
13 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility and Internationalisation
13.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Early Childhood and School
Education
13.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Higher Education
13.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Adult Education and Training
13.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in
Early Childhood and School Education
13.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in
Higher Education
13.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in
Adult Education and Training
13.7 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Bilateral Agreements and Worldwide
Cooperation
14 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments
14.1 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in Early Childhood
Education and Care
14.2 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in School Education
14.3 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in Vocational Education
and Training and Adult Learning
14.4 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in Higher Education
14.5 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms related to Transversal
Skills and Employability
14.6 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:European Perspective
15 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Legislation
16 Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Glossary
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Political, Social and Economic
Background and Trends
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Historical
Development
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Executive and
Legislative Bodies
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Population:
Demographic Situation, Languages and Religions
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Political and
Economic Situation
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Organisation and Governance
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Fundamental
Principles and National Policies
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Lifelong Learning
Strategy
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of the
Education System and of its Structure
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Private Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National
Qualifications Framework
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Administration and
Governance at Central and/or Regional Level
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Administration and
Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Statistics on
Organisation and Governance
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Funding in Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Early Childhood and
School Education Funding
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Higher Education
Funding
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Adult Education and
Training Funding
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Early
Childhood Education and Care
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Programmes for Children under 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Programmes for Children under 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
Programmes for Children under 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Programmes for Children over 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Programmes for Children over 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
Programmes for Children over 2-3 years
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisational
Variations and Alternative Structures in Early Childhood
Education and Care
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Primary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Primary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Primary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
Primary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisational
Variations and Alternative Structures in Primary Education
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Secondary and Post-Secondary
Non-Tertiary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
General Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in General Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
General Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Technical Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Technical Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
Technical Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Vocational Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Vocational Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in
Vocational Secondary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Organisation of
Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Teaching and
Learning in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Assessment in PostSecondary Non-Tertiary Education
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Types of Higher
Education Institutions
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:First Cycle
Programmes
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Bachelor
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Short-Cycle Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Second Cycle
Programmes
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Programmes outside
the Bachelor and Master Structure
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Third Cycle (PhD)
Programmes
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Adult
Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Distribution of
Responsibilities
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Developments and
Current Policy Priorities
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Providers
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Types of
Provision
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Validation of Nonformal and Informal Learning
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Teachers and Education Staff
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for
Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of
Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School
Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing
Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early
Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for
Academic Staff in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of
Service for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing
Professional Development for Academic Staff Working in
Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Initial Education for
Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and
Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Conditions of
Service for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult
Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Continuing
Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers
Working in Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Management and Other
Education Staff
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff
for Early Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Staff Involved in
Monitoring Educational Quality for Early Childhood and
School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Education Staff
Responsible for Guidance in Early Childhood and School
Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education
Staff or Staff Working with Schools
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff
for Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education
Staff or Staff Working in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Management Staff
Working in Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Education
Staff or Staff Working in Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Quality Assurance
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in
Early Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in
Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Quality Assurance in
Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Educational Support and
Guidance
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Special Education
Needs Provision within Mainstream Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Separate Special
Education Needs Provision in Early Childhood and School
Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures
for Learners in Early Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and
Counselling in Early Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures
for Learners in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and
Counselling in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Support Measures
for Learners in Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Guidance and
Counselling in a Lifelong Learning Approach
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Mobility and Internationalisation
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Early
Childhood and School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Higher
Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Mobility in Adult
Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of
Internationalisation in Early Childhood and School
Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of
Internationalisation in Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Other Dimensions of
Internationalisation in Adult Education and Training
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Bilateral
Agreements and Worldwide Cooperation
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Ongoing Reforms and Policy
Developments
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in
Early Childhood Education and Care
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in
School Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in
Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms in
Higher Education
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:National Reforms
related to Transversal Skills and Employability
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:European
Perspective
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Legislation
Belgium-German-SpeakingCommunity:Glossary
Albania
Austria
Belgium (Flemish Community)
Belgium (French Community)
Belgium (German-Speaking Community)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom (England)
United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)
United Kingdom (Scotland)
United Kingdom (Wales)
Demographic Situation
As of 1 January 2015, Belgium had a population of 11,250,585 (2000: 10 239 085; 2005: 10,445,852),
of which 1,180,531 (2000: 959318; 2005: 1,006,749) or 10,5% of the population lived in the bilingual
Brussels -Capital Region; 6,471,996 (2000: 5 940 251; 2005: 6,043,161) or 57.5% lived in Flanders;
3.598,058 (2000: 3 339 516; 2005: 3,335,942) or 32% of the population lived in the Walloon Region;
76,591 (2000: 70 831; 2005: 72,512) lived in the German-speaking area (i.e. the German-speaking
Community). With more than 11 million inhabitants living in an area of 30,528 km2, Belgium had a
population density of 369 people per km2 as of 2016. The population density in the Walloon Region
(16,844 km2) is 214 people per km2, while in Flanders (the Flemish Region, 13,522 km2) it is 479, and
in the Brussels-Capital Region (161.4 km2) it is 7,315 people per km2. Inhabitants of the Germanspeaking area (German-speaking Community) make up 0.7% of the Belgian population and 2.14% of
the population of Walloon Region. The German-speaking area is 853.6 km2 (= 5% of the Walloon
Region); the population density was 90 people per km2 in 2016. The rate of growth of the Belgian
population is very low and the population is superannuated. Life expectancy is high: in 2014,
average life expectancy was 83.5 (2000: 80,92; 2005: 81.86) for women and 78.56 (2000: 74,58;
2005: 76.14) for men. As of 1 January 2015, Belgium counted 1,255,286 foreign nationals,
accounting for 11.2% of the total population. The most strongly represented foreign national groups
are from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Morocco and Turkey, but with distinct differences based on
region. In the German-speaking Community the number of foreign nationals makes up 20.2% of the
population, well above the national average; though it is structured completely different. The largest
group of citizens represented are those from neighbouring countries Germany (15%) and the
Netherlands (1%); another 2.4% are from other European countries and another 1% are refugees or
from non-European countries.
Languages
The official languages of Belgium are Dutch, French and German. The Belgian language regime is
based on the existence of four language areas (Art. 4 of the constitution): the German-speaking area,
the French-speaking area, the Dutch-speaking area and the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region
(French/Dutch). The language areas are not to be confused with the Regions and Communities (i.e.
the federal entities), though it is worth mentioning that the German-speaking area is identical with
that of the German-speaking Community, a correlation that does not pertain to the other language
areas and Communities. The division of the language areas and the language borders established by
the law on 8 November 1962 is especially designed to determine the scope of legislation on the use
of language in the education system (30 July 1963) and administration (2 August 1963) and the
Communities' decrees. Each municipality belongs to one of these language areas. Considering the
general linguistic homogeneity of the language areas, the legislation decided in favour of the
principle of territorial monolingualism in regards to administration and the education system, with
the exception of Brussels, which is bilingual and must be governed in French and Dutch. This means
that Belgium is a trilingual country – a country with three national, official or state languages – but
that every language area has only a single official or state language with the exception of Brussels,
which has two.
Minority Languages
Although the term 'minority languages' is not officially stated in any legal texts in Belgium, there are
de facto linguistic minorities in the individual language areas. On the one hand, there are the
numerous immigrant families who (still) speak their respective language (particularly those from
Italy, Spain, Turkey, Kurdistan, Portugal, and Arabic countries etc.) These languages have no official
status in Belgium. Furthermore, there are Belgians in every monolingual area whose mother
language is that of one of the other two language areas. They are de facto a language minority of the
area, even if it is not officially recognised as such. Usually, they adjust to their linguistic
environment by learning, speaking and maintaining the local language. This also corresponds to the
principle of territorial monolingualism, which legally determines the use of language. In certain
municipalities that directly abut the language border, the percentage of those that speak another
national language than that of the municipality concerned has always been quite significant (around
20-30%). For this reason, the legislation expressly states that in these municipalities and these
municipalities only (they are listed in the statute), citizens of the linguistic minority can receive
certain services in their mother language upon request. The local public office has to be prepared to
be able to serve citizens not only in the local language, but also in the other national languages
without the slightest difficulty. The same conditions largely apply to the regional and federal offices,
meaning every citizen has the legal right to use his or her language (as long as it is one of the three
national languages) in relation to the legal authorities, even if they are not in the corresponding
language area. The provision for the German language across the regional and federal offices,
however, leaves much to be desired, even if considerable efforts and progress have been made.
Aside from the three recognised national languages, Dutch, French and German, there are also still
very active autochthonous regional languages (e.g. Walloon, Picard, Luxembourgian, Low German,
etc.) which have certain associations that receive support and a certain degree of recognition from
the authorities, though they are never incorporated as administrative or school languages.
Language of Education
In principle, in Belgium the language of education is that of the respective language area. Hence,
the language of education is German in the German-speaking area, Dutch in the Dutch-speaking
area, French in the French-speaking area, and French or Dutch according to the choice of the head
of the family in the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region. However, multiple municipalities along the
language border of the Dutch-speaking area and the French-speaking area, and all nine of the
German-speaking municipalities, are considered municipalities with linguistic facilities for the other
language minority, which uphold the opportunity to not only be served by the administration in their
language, but also that their children receive their primary education in that language as well. Thus,
the language of education in the German-speaking area is German, except for the French primary
schools and departments legally provided for the francophone minority in the area, where language
of education is French. The law on the use of language in the education system, passed on 30 July
1963 and valid until 2004, provided that, aside from French lessons (as a second language), the
schools in the German-speaking area also provide some other lessons in French, but did not
establish to what extent. The majority of secondary schools use the opportunity nonetheless. Some
do so only sporadically, while others do so systematically, especially in the later years of secondary
school. This is very rarely the case in primary school. A new decree on the communication and use of
language in the education system, passed on 19 April 2004, approved this option and allows every
school to determine in writing for their school curriculum if other subjects should be taught in the
second language, and if so, which. However, these subjects are not allowed to make up a total of
more than 50% of the lessons in secondary school (not including the second language lessons)
(Art.6,§3). In primary school, where activities conducted in a second language are mandatory
already in preschool (50 to 200 minutes per week) (Art. 6,§1) and a second language is taught as a
mandatory subject in the first year of primary school (Art.6§2), only activities in psychomotility,
physical education, art and crafts are conducted in the second language (Art.4,§2). Without going
into further detail, two other points of significance need to be made on the topic:
Almost every secondary school teacher is trained in the French language in the Frenchspeaking part of the country, thus giving them a good command of the specific terminology
used in this language. But the same does not necessarily hold true in German, which is the
mandatory language of education in the German-speaking Community. This can be
problematic.
Given the low number of pupils, Belgium's large publishing houses do not publish and
distribute school books or other class materials in German, meaning class materials must be
compiled by the teachers themselves or ordered from other German-speaking countries.
However, the latter does not guarantee that the local syllabi will be the same.
Religions
The constitution guarantees the separation of church and state. The freedom of religion, freedom of
their common practice and the right to freedom of expression are all guaranteed, but do not restrict
punishment for offenses committed while practising these freedoms (Art. 19 of the constitution). All
pupils required to go to school are entitled to a religious or moral education at the expense of the
Community (Art. 24 of the constitution). From the age of 6 to 18, pupils attend religious lessons in
school (in which the religions recognised by Belgium – Catholicism, Protestantism, orthodox
theology, Islam, Judaism, and Anglicism – are studied), or a religiously unaffiliated moral lesson.
Belgium-German-Speaking-Community:Main Executive and Legislative Bodies | Belgium-GermanSpeaking-Community:Political and Economic Situation