The government of the French-speaking community in Belgium has been urged to extend the provision of free school supplies to fourth grade students (nine to ten-year-olds) by the family support organisation, Ligue des Familles.
According to the Ligue, this measure would "only" cost €4 million, which could be sourced from underused budgets, such as those for helping families buy school computers or Manolo subsidies for school textbooks.
The Ligue believes this support for families starting next academic year in August can be aligned with the challenging budget situation of the French Community Government, also known as the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB).
Since 2019, the FWB has funded free basic school supplies for students, progressively introducing the scheme from nursery schools to primary schools, up to third grade (eight to nine-year-olds).
Last autumn, the FWB postponed the decision to extend the scheme to fourth grade until the budget adjustment to allow time to assess the programme's effectiveness.
According to the Ligue, the evaluation has shown positive results. School administrators also strongly support the scheme, saving families approximately €100 each school year. The Education Inspection Service reportedly also recommends extending the scheme beyond third grade, the Ligue added.
The Ligue notes that the International Convention on the Rights of the Child – which Belgium has signed – stipulates free education not just in terms of access but more broadly.
"The FWB is significantly lagging in protecting children's rights, which it should already be ensuring," the Ligue concluded.
