Education minister gets positive feedback, must focus on diversity in schools
The secondary school student union VSK has published a report on Hilde Crevits’ job record
Headscarves in question
“Young people want to learn to live together and respect each other’s differences, which is why it’s important that students from diverse backgrounds come into contact with each other,” VSK president Céline Ibe told De Standaard. “Unfortunately, advantaged and disadvantaged young people barely meet each other at school and the reform of secondary education doesn’t improve the situation.”
The VSK is calling on Crevits (pictured, centre) to launch a broad discussion on the place of headscarves in schools. At the moment, the education network GO Vlaanderen has a general ban on headscarves in schools. The Catholic network, on the other hand, lets each school decide whether or not to allows its students to wear headscarves.
In response, Crevits said she did not want to enforce diversity from above. “This is a story that we have to realise with the schools,” she said. “Our efforts concerning the reception classes for newcomers who don’t speak Dutch prove the resilience of our education and especially of our teachers.”
In general, VSK’s report has given Crevits a positive score. She obtained especially good marks for her participatory approach. “She listens to our opinions and is honest about what is possible and what is not,” said Ibe. The VSK has also applauded Crevits’ efforts against bullying.
Photo courtesy Hilde Crevits/Flickr
