Education

Special Schools in Flanders

This is an extract from the brochure, “Education in Flanders”, published by the Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeeschap, Departement Onderwijs, Afdeling Informatie en Documentatie, Koningsstraat 71, B-1000 Brussels. It is also available on the website http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/

Special education is meant for children and adolescents who cannot attend regular education.

Special education is adapted to the training and education needs of handicapped pupils. They need special aid temporarily or permanently. The main aim is to integrate the pupils into the world of education on the one hand and into society on the other hand. The following distinction is made:

• special nursery education for children aged 2½ to 6
• special primary education for children aged 6 to 13
• special secondary education for pupils aged 13 to 21

Primary and secondary special education is structured in eight types, adapted to the pupils’ needs.

• Type 1: for pupils with a minor mental handicap (not for nursery school)
• Type 2: for pupils with a moderate or serious mental handicap
• Type 3: for children with serious emotional and/or behavioural problems
• Type 4: for pupils with a physical handicap
• Type 5: for children suffering from protracted illness
• Type 6: for pupils with a visual handicap
• Type 7: for pupils with an auditory handicap
• Type 8: for pupils with serious learning disabilities (not for nursery school or secondary education)

On the special secondary education level, four training forms are also organised. Here, pupils from different education types can be gathered. Each training form meets well-determined needs:

• Training form 1: offering social training with the aim of integration into a protected environment
• Training form 2: offering general and social training with the aim of integration into a protected environment and work situation
• Training form 3: offering social and vocational training with the aim of integration into a regular environment and work situation
• Training form 4: offering preparation for study in higher education and integration into active life.

Integrated education (“GON”) meaning guiding and helping handicapped children or youngsters in a regular school with the aid of specialists from special education, is also developing in Flanders.

About 4% of the overall school population attends special education.

An enrolment report is necessary for the child. This report indicates which special education type is most suitable. It is up to the parents to decide.

Enrolment and entry are possible any time from the age of 2 years and 6 months onwards. In regular nursery education, the child involved can go to school on first of the 5 the entry dates (on the first school day after each holiday period).

In the future the age for enrolment and entry will be raised to 3 years.

Documents required for registration

• Birth certificate of the child OD marriage certificate OR identity card for children under the age of 12 (local authoritites).
• In special education: a registration report, made up at CLB ( =Centre for Guidance = Centrum voor Leerlingenbegeleiding, website, www.CLB-net.be )
• Certificate of registration in the aliens record.
• Passport for aliens who were not born in Belgium and are not registered in the aliens record.

People “without any documents”: all children have the right to receive education and can be registered

Note: CLB Centres look after the well-being of students, with regard to learning and studying, their educational career, preventative health care, physical and social functioning.

They coach teachers to inform students during classes, have regular meetings with the parents, carry out research with regard to individual students,…

They are free of charge, regardless of nationality.

RESOURCES FOR DISABILITIES IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS IN FLANDERS

GON = Integrated Education. Children can follow normal education even though they have a disability (for example a blind child who has normal ability). Special schools and mainstream schools have an agreement to work together. A student in a mainstream school will be guided by a teacher from the special school.

Flemish Fund.
With the help of this fund, students with a disability in mainstream schools can also receive special teaching equipment, for example a reading magnifier.

Schools can receive a subsidy for this kind of equipment from the Flemish Fund