Government parties collaborate on central registration system for schools

The government parties hope to have an outline by the summer break, so that a decree can be signed within the next parliamentary year. The system should be in place by the 2018-2019 school year.

 “We intend to create one system for primary, secondary and special secondary education,” MP Jo De Ro of liberals Open Vld told De Morgen. De Ro is working on the system with colleagues Kathleen Helsen (CD&V) and Kris Van Dijck (N-VA).

The new system will give the government a clearer idea on how many places are needed in schools, so that it can respond with adequate measures, like setting up container classrooms.

Schools will also no longer have to deal with parents who register their children at several schools. This year, some 21,766 registrations were not followed through because parents ended up sending their child to a different school or there was a shortage of available spots.

Central registration systems already exist on local level, both in larger cities like Brussels and smaller ones like Lokeren.

Photo courtesy Go Ouders