David Mbombo, the religious studies teacher at the Cardinal Mercier College in the municipality of Braine-l'Alleud in Walloon Brabant, can remain in Belgium after being told in March that he had to leave the country. His situation highlights a prevalent issue in Belgium.
In March, Mbombo was given the order to leave Belgium and go back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as his work permit was refused. As with many temporary teachers, Mbombo's work contract ended when the school year ended over the summer, and a new one was drawn up for the new school year.
While Mbombo has been a teacher in Belgium for years, and has been living in Belgium for nine years, the gap between the contracts was the reason his permit was refused in the new year.
"For us, foreign teachers, our work contract corresponds to our work permit, and therefore also to our residence permit," Mbombo told RTBF. "When the work year ends, our work and residence contract also ends." Mbombo was able to return to his classroom and his students last week, after the Cardinal Mercier College reluctantly ended his contract in March after he was given the order to leave Belgium.
13,000 signatures
Mbombo's students were the ones who brought the situation to the attention of the school, and ultimately the story spread through Belgium. A petition – which gained over 13,000 signatures – made its way through the country calling for Mbombo to be allowed to stay.
"I had heard that many people were in a similar situation and that they had to wait at least a year," he told La Dernière Heure. "So to be able to regularise it so quickly, in less than a month, is a miracle."
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Mbombo hopes his situation will help shed light on these and similar instances in Belgium.
"There are similar situations, whether it's teachers or educators," Xavier Cambron, the director of Cardinal Mercier College, told RTBF. "He got out of it and that is good! If it could be used more widely for other people in his situation, that would be great too."
