Introduction

The task of the education inspectorate, the philosophical inspection and the school advisory services is to ensure the quality of education, each from its own specific point of view.

The inspectorate

The Decree on the quality of education (Dutch only) of 8 May 2009 radically changed the legal position of the education inspectorate.  The education inspectorate is competent for both primary and secondary education. With the adoption of the decree of 14 March 2018 on education inspection 2.0, a new audit approach is being introduced and the education inspectorate wants to recognize the quality triangle, i.e. school – education inspectorate – pedagogical guidance. Each partner plays its own role in realizing the quality of education day after day for every pupil or student. By explicitly researching the quality development of the schools, the education inspectorate wants to stimulate each school as the first responsible for its educational quality.

The posts, which the members of the inspection may hold are the following:

• examiner
• coordinating inspector
• inspector-general.

The inspectorate occupies an independent place within the educational landscape.

Inspectorate of religious/philosophical subjects

A separate inspection service is active for each recognized philosophy or religion. They are governed by the decree of 1 December 1993 on the inspection and supervision of philosophical subjects (Dutch only).

These inspectors-advisers in ideological subjects are appointed by their respective recognized bodies on condition that they also have the mandate via the “nomination” of this body.

 The posts that can be set up are:

• inspector-adviser;
• inspector-adviser for primary education;
• inspector-adviser coordinator for primary education;
• inspector-adviser coordinator;
• inspector-adviser for secondary and pedagogical higher education and the teacher training courses organized by the university colleges;
• inspector-adviser for primary, secondary and pedagogical higher education and the teacher training courses organized by the university colleges.

The inspector-general of the education inspectorate (see above) also ensures the administrative management of the members of the philosophical inspection.

Pedagogical guidance and counselling

In the school advisory services, [see 11.1.1.4 for their mission and functioning] there are the (promotion) posts of pedagogical adviser and adviser-coordinator (the head of a school advisory service). These posts may be held on a part-time or full-time basis.

Competence counsellors may also be appointed within the pedagogical guidance body. They focus specifically on support in the context of the inclusion of children with special educational needs.

Requirements for appointment

The inspectorate

Inspector

To be admitted to the education inspectorate, one must belong to one of the following categories of staff:

• staff covered by the decrees of 27 March 1991 (which lay down the staff regulations).
• the independent and assisting academic staff of the universities;
• the teaching staff of the university colleges;
• the adult basic education teachers, the staff and directors in a centre for adult basic education and the teaching staff employed in the Flemish Support Centre for Adult Education.

Such staff will have had at least eight years of service.

In addition, a person may also apply if he has at least eight years of relevant experience in education or adult basic education supplemented by experience in quality assurance and evaluation in educational sectors.

The general conditions for admission to a post at the Inspectorate are as follows:

• be a national of a member state of the European Union or of the European Free Trade Association (subject to an exemption by the Government of Flanders);
• of impeccable behaviour;
• enjoy civil and political rights (subject to an exemption by the Government of Flanders);
• comply with the Military Obligation Acts;
• meet the language requirements (level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

The candidate must go through a selection procedure. For more information (Dutch only), see the following link 

Coordinating inspector and inspector-general

permanent inspector (for coordinating inspector), inspector or coordinating inspector (for inspector-general); alternatively, the post may also be assigned by mandate to a candidate external to the inspection who fulfils the following conditions:

• have held a management position for at least five years (in the case of a coordinating inspector) or 10 years (in the case of an inspector-general);
• have at least eight years' relevant experience in or with education, in the case of a coordinating inspector or 15 years’ relevant experience, in the case of an inspector-general;
• comply with the general conditions for admission for inspector;
• at least three years’ service as an inspector;
• no final evaluation with final conclusion of “insufficient” was received as an inspector;
• candidates must have applied as specified in the vacancy notice.

The selection procedure for the coordinating inspector will be analogous to that for an inspector.

For the selection of the inspector general, the same selection procedure will be used as for other top civil servant of the Government of Flanders.

Inspectorate of philosophical and religious subjects

The specific condition for admission to a post within the philosophical subjects inspectorate is that, in addition to fulfilling the general admission conditions within Flemish education (see 9.2), the candidate must also have a nomination from the recognized body or association. See also here (Dutch only).

Pedagogical counsellor and pedagogical counsellor-coordinator

The conditions for access to a post in the school advisory service of subsidized education are slightly different from those of the GO! As a general rule, however, the candidate must have had at least eight years' service in order to be eligible for a temporary or permanent appointment.

An accompanying instruction may also be granted to teaching staff by means of special assignment leave.

The members of staff are appointed by the organizing bodies and fall under the heading “non-teaching staff”.

Conditions of service

In addition to the conditions of employment for the teaching staff (see 9.2), a number of specific conditions of employment apply.

Inspector

Selection procedure

The provisions for each post will be laid down in a general selection regulation. This involves the following provisions:

• the diplomas, certificates, certificates of experience, etc. on which the selection procedure will be based,
• the requirements as to the form of the applications
• within what period of time and which tests will be carried out.

In addition, specific selection regulations will be provided for each specific recruitment after negotiations with the competent negotiating committee. Such negotiations should ensure the involvement of staff. Working with selection regulations will allow flexibility because they can easily be adapted to the circumstances and needs of the moment. In addition, the selection rules will ensure clear and unambiguous procedures.

Temporary assignment

A staff member may be engaged on a temporary basis for a fixed or indefinite period through the selection procedure mentioned above. In practice, an inspector is first appointed twice for a period of one year and then for an indefinite period of time.

In the first year of temporary assignment to the post of inspector, a member of the temporary staff will undertake a training programme if he has not previously been appointed to the inspectorate.

The employment of a member of staff temporarily appointed for a fixed period may be terminated without notice for urgent reasons or if the member of staff has received a final evaluation with final conclusion of “insufficient”. An appeal can be lodged against this.

The employment of a staff member who is temporarily appointed for an indefinite period may be terminated without notice if, during two consecutive evaluations or three times during his career in the same post at the inspectorate, the staff member has received a final evaluation with a final conclusion of “insufficient” or if the staff member is dismissed following a disciplinary measure. An appeal can be lodged against this.

Permanent appointment

The appointment for an indefinite period leads to the permanent appointment but since there is a legal limitation on the percentage of permanent appointments in the Education Inspectorate, the period prior to the permanent appointment depends on the number of inspectors who have already been permanently appointed.

Job description and evaluation

A job description is drawn up on the basis of a job profile and contains two parts, namely the permanent contract and the period-related targets.

The permanent contract consists of the following two parts.

• the fields of results: the tasks which the staff member is required to perform correctly;
• the skills.

The job description can be adjusted:

• in the event of a substantial change to the assignment;
• after agreements between the first evaluator and the staff member during a performance appraisal interview;
• at the start of a new evaluation period.

Each job description or change of post will be drawn up by mutual agreement between the first evaluator and the staff member concerned. If consensus cannot be reached, the decision will be taken by the inspector-general if it concerns the job description of an inspector. In the case of the coordinating inspector and the inspector-general, if no consensus can be reached, the decision lies with the minister responsible for education.

For the purpose of the evaluation, an evaluation interview will be held between the first evaluator and the staff member concerned. The main objective of the evaluation interview is to improve the functioning of the member of staff where necessary and to support him. The evaluation interview can lead to adjustments in the future and can lead to new, clear agreements. The evaluation interview always leads to an evaluation report. If the evaluation report does not contain the final conclusion in sufficient detail, it must always contain the means of appeal, failing which the evaluation report shall be null and void.

Dismissal

The permanent member of the Inspectorate and the temporary member of staff appointed for an indefinite period of time will be dismissed on grounds of professional incapacity if, during two consecutive assessments or three times during his career in the same post at the Inspectorate, he has received a final evaluation with a final conclusion of “insufficient”.

A staff member engaged on a temporary basis for a limited period will be dismissed if he has received a final evaluation with final conclusion of “insufficient”. The dismissal will be decided by the Government of Flanders.

Performance scheme

The performance scheme is 38 hours per week.

The legal position of the personnel of the Education Inspectorate is regulated by the Government of Flanders Order of 5 February 2010 implementing the decree of 8 May 2009 on the quality of education with regard to the legal position of the personnel of the inspectorate and the school advisory services (Dutch only). 

Salaries

The salaries are in € at 100%, they need to be multiplied by a coefficient of 1.6734 (index on 1/07/2017)

In addition to their salary, inspectors will receive compensation for commuting, travel and any subsistence expenses, as well as – if they do not have a permanent room in the buildings of the services of the Government of Flanders– an ICT compensation and compensation for operating cost.

Coordinating inspector and inspector-general

Appointment to the post of coordinating inspector or inspector-general will be governed by a four-year term of office.

A final overall evaluation will be carried out three months before the end of the term of office. If this does not lead to a final conclusion that is insufficient, the mandate will be renewed for four years. The final conclusion of insufficient may be appealed.

A staff member holding a mandate may be dismissed, without notice, for urgent reasons (serious misconduct making it immediately and definitively impossible for the mandate to continue). This will take place within three working days after the shortcoming has become known. An appeal can be lodged against this.

The inspector-general is evaluated in the same way as the holders of a management or project leader position at the N level within the Government of Flanders services.

Salary

Inspector for religious/philosophical subjects

The legal position of the inspectors-advisers of ideological subjects is regulated in the DFG of 15 December 1993 implementing the decree of 1 December 1993 on the inspection and supervision of ideological subjects (Dutch only). 

Salaries

The salaries are in € at 100%, they need to be multiplied by a coefficient of 1.6734 (index on 1/07/2017)

In addition to their salary, a credit is also registered for the organization and operation of the inspection and supervision of philosophical subjects. This credit is calculated by multiplying the number of posts from the personnel information by EUR 3,571.10 per designated person. As from 2016, this amount will be adjusted annually in line with the evolution of the health index.

Recognized bodies and associations will reimburse travel, subsistence and operating expenses for such persons

Source: https://data-onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/salaris/schalen/ (Dutch only)

Pedagogical counsellors

The legal status of the staff of the school advisory service (SAS) is regulated by the DFG of 5 February 2010 implementing the decree of 8 May 2009 on the quality of education as regards the legal status of the inspection staff and the school advisory services (Dutch only).

The performance scheme is 38 hours per week for a full-time post.

Salaries

The salaries are in € at 100%, they need to be multiplied by a coefficient of 1.6734 (index on 1/07/2017)

Source: https://data-onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/salaris/schalen/ (dutch only).