Flanders will choose 30 ‘inspiration schools’, which will serve as examples for other schools in the region. This was decided by the Flemish government on Tuesday, according to Education minister Zuhal Demir. 29 million euros will be allocated to the project.
Inspiration schools are one of the government’s new measures to professionalise primary education. They are 30 schools that have been shown to use successful methods and are therefore given the task of inspiring other schools.
The selected schools will receive additional support in implementing Flanders’ new minimum education requirements, which define what pupils should learn in school. The new targets are still being worked out, but will include a stronger focus on the Dutch language.
The selection will be done next year by education umbrella organisations and a new knowledge centre yet to be set up. This centre will train teachers and school boards in knowledge, behaviour and didactics, and will be supervised by two universities or colleges.
The selection may be reviewed annually, but there must be a spread across educational networks and a regional spread. In the first year, the inspiration schools will work on their own professionalisation. From the second year onwards, they will each begin guiding ten other schools.
Next to the inspiration schools, Flanders will work on the professionalisation of educational guidance services. Educational umbrella organisations will also be better supported in developing new curricula and teaching materials. The aim is to ensure that the new material meets the more ambitious minimum targets.
