The point of view. Education must ensure that everyone can follow? The bar is lower for everyone to get, is a wrong choice

In episode two of the online series ‘The Position’ of VTM News and The Latest News take the seven Flemish party chairs today argument about education: we must especially ensure that everyone can follow, or should the strongest students can excel?

Spread over seven lines, the presidents of the seven Flemish parties indicate whether they are with a certain proposition from The Voice of Flanders all the way or just completely not agree, or a more sophisticated position. After their position have chosen, they go with each other in a debate.

also Read After one day, already more than 250,000 participants. Now do yourself the ‘Voice of Flanders’

Striking in the onderwijsdebat: none of the party chairs tends in the direction of "everyone should follow". Just about everyone agrees that the debate is an ‘and-and’story should be and that both should go hand in hand. “Both statements are correct, and moreover along with each other”, says Peter Mertens of the LABOUR party, for example.

N-VA-president Bart De Wever chose, however, have resolutely opted for the option that the strongest nations should be able to get to excel. “It is absolutely ‘and-and’, but you should also see where the problem is,” he says. “We used to have 1 to 3 excellent students, according to international research, is that now 1 in 5. (...) The bar lower for everyone to get, that is a false choice.”

“Mass influx is the real elephant in the room”

Flemish Interest president Tom Van Grieken calls “the massive influx and the so-called enrichment of the diversity” “the real elephant in the room”. “Teachers are especially busy in classes where a vast majority does not speak Dutch with cultural and linguistic problems to overcome, and not of knowledge.”

For Gwendolyn Rutten (Open Vld) students should at school again, can really learn: “Teachers should once again be able to do what they do best: teach.” A position where Meyrem Almaci (Green) agree: “But we have more hands in the classroom is needed. Bets on well-being is what makes people excel”. With that last Rutten it again, not once. “A school is not a health care facility.”

John Crombez, chairman of sp.a, gives Almaci right that “well-being is just as important as good qualifications”. “Promotion of equal opportunities for all from the very young to begin.” Crombez also launches the phrase that “the teacher should have control in their own class”, what Tom Of Greeks is a perfect slogan for his party. And also Bart De Wever admits that he is “amazing” with Crombez. “Creepy.”