In Brussels, rhetoric students at the Athénée d’Uccle 1 received a blow to the head. They have had almost no Dutch lessons in recent years due to a lack of teachers, but they failed their year and have to retake an exam in the second session. Almost all the students are affected, the parents are angry.
They have been waiting in line outside their school since Friday, the day the exam results were announced. Nearly 40 high school students will not graduate this week. The cause: failing their Dutch exam. Parents and students are crying foul.
“Our children cannot be penalized because of this shortage. They have not had lessons for two and a half years. And now they find themselves with a test to take, with skills that they have not acquired.”says Vanessa Baert, parent of a student.
The shortage of teachers is being pointed out by parents. In three years, these students have almost never had Dutch lessons. A teacher was finally found last January, but the level could not be caught up. For the students, it is a cold shower.
“I gave myself the means to try to succeed”
“Graduation, with friends, we throw hats. It’s a well-known moment that will remain in our memories. But unfortunately, there are people who ruin it.”laments Ayman, one of the students concerned.
“I still gave myself the means to try to succeed. I still worked at home and I didn’t succeed. So now I find myself stuck because of an exam.”adds Nolhann, another student.
Management says it “hears their cry of alarm”
Yesterday, parents and management met without finding common ground. The situation remains unchanged. Informed of the presence of our team, the director of the establishment finally went to meet our journalist.
“I can totally hear their cry of alarm. We didn’t assess the skills of the sixth year of secondary school at all. The teacher was really able to adapt his course in relation to what the students had experienced in recent years in Dutch.”explains Marie Cayphas, director of the Athénée royal Uccle 1.
For the time being, management remains firm on its positions. An appeal will only be possible after the deliberation in August.
Uccle 1 failure exams
