Big shortage of places in Flemish schools in Brussels

Parents looking for a place for their child in a Flemish primary school in Brussels were able to register via the internet last January. 5,133 parents said that they were looking for a place for their child, while only 3,082 places are available.

Last Wednesday parents were told whether there registration was successful: 2,331 parents received a positive answer, while a solution still needs to be found for 2,802 children.

The shortage of places is most pronounced in kindergarten. It's easier to find a place in some municipalities than in others: Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Evere and Schaarbeek are the boroughs where it's most difficult to find a place with only 30% of children being allotted a place.

The problem may seem greater than it is as many applicants are already going to school in another Flemish school in the capital. Walentina Cools of the Local Consultation Platform: "Some 550 children already go to a Flemish school. When a new school is found for them, this will free up places elsewhere."