Definition of the Target Group

Every child of foreign origin (allochthonous child) has a right to education, both the refugee child, the child of the asylum seeker, the child residing illegally in the country and the child of foreign origin whose parents or grandparents have settled in the country. Among these children considered to be immigrants, in the German-speaking Community of Belgium only the first-year pupils benefit from special support measures in the school sector. First-year pupils are those who meet all the following conditions (as laid down in the decree of 26 June 2017 on the education of first-year pupils):

• they are between 3 and 18 years old;
• their language skills are below level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
• they have their residence or permanent place of residence in one of the nine municipalities of the German-speaking area.

First-year and second-year school pupils:

In kindergarten, the immersion principle is assumed. The children should learn the language of instruction through play. Therefore, there is no capital available to set up language learning courses or a language learning class in the kindergarten.

Children who are enrolled in the third year of kindergarten and are therefore about to start primary school (i.e. five or six years old) are taught in language learning classes or language learning courses at the primary school. There they also count for the separate job capital (see also point 1.3).

As an exception, however, kindergartens are considered to be the exception where more than 40% of the total number of children in a kindergarten (1st to 3rd year of kindergarten) do not have a command of the language of instruction at least at level A2 of the CEFR. There, it is possible to apply for additional working capital, provided that at least 12 children are enrolled in this kindergarten.

• The School Inspectorate issues an expert opinion on the application for additional working capital. If necessary, the School Inspectorate will carry out on-the-spot checks and reserves the right to carry out random tests on the children on the list.
• If the request is granted, the kindergarten will receive additional job capital for the language development of the children attending the 1st and 2nd year of kindergarten: for 5-10 first-year students: one additional quarter;
• for 11-17 pupils arriving first: one additional quarter place;
• for 18-24 pupils arriving: one additional quarter
• from the 25th pupil onwards: one additional quarter for each tranche of six first-year pupils.

The approved job capital is valid from the moment of approval until 30 September of the following school year. The employment capital is therefore generally valid for one school year.

Erstankommende Schüler im 3. Kindergartenjahr und in der Primarschule

For pupils in the third year of kindergarten and in primary school who do not have a command of the language of instruction at least at level A2 of the CEFR, special funds can be requested to set up language learning classes or language learning courses.

The School Inspectorate of the Ministry of the German-speaking Community will issue an expert opinion on the application. If necessary, the School Inspectorate will carry out on-the-spot checks and reserves the right to test the listed children on a random basis.

If the request is granted, the primary school will receive the following amount of staff capital:

- from 3 to 5 first-year pupils: a quarter;

- for 6 to 8 first-year pupils: one additional quarter place;

- for 9 to 12 pupils arriving first: one additional half place;

- from the 13th pupil onward: one additional quarter place for each tranche of three pupils who make it to the top.

Pupils who have been approved for the establishment of language learning classes or courses are also counted towards the teaching staff, headmaster, coordination, project office, pedagogical resources and the operating grants or subsidies of the school of origin where the first-year pupils are enrolled.

A language learning class is set up in the primary school from nine first-year pupils onwards. If the number of first-year pupils in the primary school is less than nine, the primary school organises language learning courses with the capital provided. Such a language learning course consists of at least a quarter of a timetable (six hours/week). In addition, the headmaster or the school authority may, in consultation with another school authority, arrange for the first student to be temporarily placed in the language learning class of another school.

If a school authority does not meet the standards for the organisation of a language learning class or course, it may organise language learning classes or courses in cooperation with one or more other school authorities. The school boards will jointly determine the school where the language learning course or class will be organised. The school authority organising the language learning class or course receives the corresponding additional job capital.

First-year students attend a language learning class or course four days a week and attend classes at the regular primary school where they are enrolled one day a week.

The approved job capital is valid from the moment of approval until 30 September of the following school year. The authorized working capital is therefore generally valid for one school year.

The school authority receives job capital for all first-year students registered with it, regardless of the school or branch in which the student is registered. The school authority can use this capital on its own responsibility to organize language learning classes or courses. However, this working capital is only made available if the students actually attend a language learning class or course.

As of the 2018-2019 school year, only students enrolled for less than one school year will be considered.

The capital for headteachers, coordination, project posts, pedagogical resources and functional grants will be allocated to the school of origin where the first students are enrolled.

Erstankommende Schüler in der Sekundarschule

One language learning class will be established in the north of the German-speaking Community and one in the south of the German-speaking Community. These classes will each receive 30 hours capital per hour.

If a language learning class exceeds the number of 12 first-year students, the school will receive additional hourly capital upon request:

- from 13 to 15 first-year pupils: 15 additional hours;

- for 16 to 24 first-year students: 15 additional hours;

- for 25 to 27 first-year students: 15 additional hours;

- if 28 to 36 students are successful: 15 additional hours;

- from the 37th pupil onward: 15 additional hours per tranche of six pupils.

In agreement with the school authorities, this additional hourly capital can be used to set up language learning classes in other regular secondary schools.

Pupils count for the calculation of the hourly capital for headmasters, for coordination, project offices and educators. The schools in which the first-year pupils are enrolled also receive the funds for pedagogical purposes for these pupils, the funds for reducing school costs and the corresponding functional subsidies or endowments.

The approved hourly capital is valid from the moment of approval until 30 September of the following school year. The hourly capital is therefore generally valid for one school year.

As of the 2018-2019 school year, only pupils who have been enrolled for less than two school years will be considered.

Eingliederung von erstankommenden Schülern in den Regelsekundarunterricht

If pupils who have been regularly enrolled in a language learning class in the last three years are definitively integrated into the regular classes by the accompanying council, the secondary schools will receive a grant from the Office of the Teacher of Language Learning Classes to further support these pupils:

- for 3 to 6 pupils: a quarter;

- for 7 to 12 pupils: one additional quarter;

- for 13 to 18 pupils: one additional quarter

- from 19 to 24 pupils: one additional quarter

For each tranche of six additional pupils, the secondary school receives one additional quarter place.

Specific Support Measures

See above.