The quality of Flemish education has dropped considerably in recent years, according to a University of Leuven (KULeuven) study quoted by De Morgen on Monday.
In 2003, the Flemish education system was ranked among the world’s best. Students in the north of the country topped the OCDE’s Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) rankings in Maths and were third in reading skills.
However, the level has gone down, according to the KULeuven study, published in the specialised magazine TORB. Its authors combined the results from the Pisa rankings with those of two other international assessments, the PIRLS, which tests language and reading skills, and TIMSS, which compares students’ performances in the sciences and mathematics.
According to KULeuven, the advantage Dutch-speaking students used to have over their French-speaking peers in the field of reading skills has been reduced by half. While results differ from network to network, the most significant drop has been in Catholic schools.
Christopher Vincent
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