Linter (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In 2025, VKS De Wegwijzer Nursery School in Orsmaal near Linter closed due to low enrollment and building issues. Chairman Chris Van der Vorst noted declining student numbers. Mayor Marc Wijnants expressed regret, citing a common regional problem.
By 2025, De Wegwijzer Nursery School had to close down because it did not have enough kids. Chris Van der Vorst, the school board chairman, said that the number of students was too low for the school to keep running. He mentioned that this closure is part of a larger problem many nursery schools are facing. They deal with money issues and changes in the number of families.
According to Chris Van der Vorst, rising costs for wages and insurance make it harder for small schools to survive. Even with a growing need for childcare, many schools cannot stay open, leaving fewer options for early education in the community.
“In recent years, the number of registered nursery school children has fallen sharply,”
Says Chris Van der Vorst.
“As a result, the school no longer meets the standard, which hinders its operation.”
Why did VKS De Wegwijzer Nursery School in Linter close in 2025?
In 2025, VKS De Wegwijzer Nursery School in Orsmaal had serious problems because the buildings were falling apart. According to officials, the school needed money for repairs, but not enough kids were enrolled to afford it. The school board and staff understood that closing the school would affect the community. They promised to help parents and young children during this change. They aimed to ensure that every family received the support they needed to adjust smoothly.
Mayor Marc Wijnants felt sad about the school closing. He said this is a common problem in the area. When families have more than one child in nursery school, if one child moves to primary school, the younger sibling often goes too. This leads to fewer kids in the nursery.
According to Mayor Wijnants, schools like De Wegwijzer are important because they help toddlers grow and meet friends. After the school closed, the local primary school, De Zandloper, promised to care for all the affected children. They want to provide a friendly place for these kids next school year.
Mayor Marc Wijnants regrets the news.
“It is a great shame,”
He says.
“The problem also occurs when parents have multiple children in nursery school. When one child goes to primary school, the other child moves with them.”
In 2021, nursery school De Wegwijzer almost closed because it did not have enough students. The school needed at least 12 kids to stay open, but it was short by one. The director and a teacher asked for help to find one more student. They found a 12th pupil just in time. This let the school stay open for a few more years.
The school still had problems with fewer kids enrolling. Officials mentioned that many nursery schools faced this issue because of changes in families. Even with efforts to get more children, the number kept going down, making it hard to meet the rules to stay open.
