Dutch learning on the decline in Walloon schools

Dutch language learning in Wallonia is continuing to decrease in popularity, with pupils opting to learn English instead, according to new figures from Walloon education minister Valérie Glatigny.

In 2024-2025, the number of pupils taking Dutch lessons in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation totalled 115,000, an increase of 0.6% over the 2023-2024 period. However, the increase only occurred in Brussels and the figure masks a 2.9% decrease for the Walloon region alone, Glatigny made clear.

“English is now the first choice as a second language for 70% of Walloon pupils,” she said, responding to questions in parliament.

The Wallonia-Brussels Federation has set itself the goal of teaching Dutch (or German) as the first foreign language to the majority of pupils by 2027.

“However, the implementation of this reform will largely depend on the ability to recruit and train teachers, as there is a particularly acute shortage in these subjects,” Glatigny warned.

Even today, many schools are already struggling to fill Dutch teaching positions. In the absence of staff, instead of Dutch, pupils have remedial or support sessions.

The minister said discussions were ongoing to better understand the barriers to young people learning Dutch, “the language of Vondel”.

“Efforts are needed to make learning Dutch more attractive from an early age,” she said. Other avenues are being explored to stimulate this teaching, such as teacher or pupil exchanges between the country’s linguistic communities, or more immersion programmes, where pupils learn other subjects, such as history and geography, in Dutch.

A lack of finance can hamper such ambition. Meanwhile, in Flanders, the Flemish government has invested €11 million in Dutch-learning programmes, to create more opportunities to practise Dutch outside the classroom.

Launched by Flemish vice-minister-president Hilde Crevits, "Oefenkansen Nederlands" aims to help newcomers learn and practise language in everyday situations in town, at school or at work.