Around 600 French-speaking teachers gathered on Tuesday morning in front of the French Community Government (FWB) headquarters in Brussels, according to local police reports.
The protest is part of a week-long series of actions across French-speaking Belgium aimed at the cuts being brought in by the MR-Engagés coalition government at the helm of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (FWB). The FWB, also known as the French Community, oversees education for the French-speaking community of Belgium.
On Monday, protests took place in the provinces of Luxembourg and Liège. On Tuesday, demonstrations continued in Namur, Walloon Brabant and the Brussels Region.
"This demonstration aims to give a voice to teachers in academies and civic education who are also concerned about the proposed measures," explained Michel Thomas, representative of CGSP Education in Brussels.
The teachers’ union opposes the proposed budget cuts in education and the reform of the employment status of teachers. They also highlight the teacher shortage and worsening working conditions.
A protest action of teachers against the reforms undertaken by the government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is held on Tuesday 08 April 2025 in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
On 27 January, over 30,000 teachers and students marched through the capital, showing strong mobilisation within the sector.
"We are now on the eighth day of specific action for education since the beginning of the school year," said Fabrice Pinna, representative of CSC Education.
"People have no answers about their future. Some want to implement a career end scheme at the start of the next school year, but they don’t know what will happen."
A union delegation was met with Valérie Glatigny (MR), the French Community (FWB) Minister of Education and Social Promotion, around 11:00.
