The start of the "chrono" period to register children for their first year of secondary school will be postponed until 18 May, the government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation decided.
The so-called "chrono" registrations are intended to enable parents of pupils on the waiting list for a certain school, as well as of children who have not been registered yet, to enrol their children in schools that still have spaces. The places are allocated in order of arrival, hence the name "chrono(logical)."
This period would normally start on 27 April, but the association ELEVeS, which defends the free choice of parents in school matters, asked how these "chrono" enrolments could be carried out given the current lockdown measures to contain the further spread of the new coronavirus (Covid-19), as parents are normally required to go to each of the schools planned for their child.
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The authorities said that school principals and parents' associations will shortly receive a ministerial circular, informing them of this postponement until 18 May, according to the Belga press agency.
No enrolment will be registered, even provisionally, before this date, said Francophone Minister for Education, Caroline Désir, adding that this date could change again in light of a possible extension of the containment measures.
On Friday, Belgium's National Security Council will meet to discuss the next steps in the lockdown, which will likely include discussions about when and how the schools will reopen, as well as what the rest of the academic year will look like.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
