Bilingual education project a success

20 June 2005

BRUSSELS — A trial of teaching some subjects in French in four Dutch-speaking schools in Brussels has been declared a success.

The bilingual project was launched four years ago. Students were given a few hours each week in French instead of Dutch.

The subjects included physical education, Flemish public broadcaster VRT reported on Monday.

Teachers at the Schaarbeek schools are now demanding the Flemish government relax regulations governing subsides.

Currently, the project does not receive any funding because all lessons in Flemish schools must be given in Dutch.

The situation in Flemish schools in Brussels is extremely different to those in other parts of the country because many of the pupils don’t speak Dutch at home.

Subject: Belgian news