Zwevegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Monday, Sep 1, 2025, 3 classes from De Klim-Op (165 students) move into Zwevegem’s new Kappaert campus. Principal Lieve Duck, Mayor Isabelle Degezelle, and the 12.3M€ project serve 1,100+ students.
As VRT News reported, on Monday, Sep 1, 2025, 3 classes from De Klim-Op special education primary school will move into the new building at the Kappaert educational site in Zwevegem, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium. This is the first step in moving the school to a modern learning space designed for its students.
“It’s quite special,”
says principal Lieve Duck.
“We were deeply involved in the design.”
When will Zwevegem’s Kappaert campus fully open for students and activities?
The main building is ready, but work around the school is still ongoing. The principal said all students will move in on September 1, 2026, at the start of the next school year. The phased move gives staff time to finish outdoor areas and prepare all facilities.
Mayor Isabelle Degezelle (CD&V) said she is particularly proud of the new campus. This year, the music and spoken word department of the Art Academy will move into the new building. The rest of the Art Academy is scheduled to move in 2029.
The municipality also plans to transfer its holiday programs to the campus in 2027. There are usually 250-300 children participating in these activities during school holidays. During Wednesday afternoons, approximately 75 children occupy the space on the campus, which is used for childcare. The new campus will serve as a central place for both education and recreational activities.
“The classroom building, consisting of three floors, comprises 23 classrooms, six therapy rooms, four reception rooms, storage areas, and technical rooms. The refectory building includes a large multipurpose refectory, a teaching kitchen and dishwashing area, and a large outdoor storage area. Bicycles will have a spacious, covered bicycle shed,”
Mayor Isabelle Degezelle (CD&V) said.
The campus will host more than 1,100 students once it is fully open. Klim-Op, the special education school, has 165 students, while the Art Academy has roughly 900 young people and 120 adults enrolled. The construction of the site cost about 12.3 million euros.
The planning for the Kappaert educational campus began in 2018, when the municipality first approved the idea of creating a modern, centralised location for both education and cultural activities.
By 2019, architects were selected, and consultations with school staff and the Art Academy began to ensure the building would meet the needs of students of all ages, including those in special education.
Construction officially started in 2022, with a total budget of approximately 12.3 million euros. This year, in 2025, the first phase of the project opens, with 3 classes from De Klim-Op special education school and the music and spoken word department moving into the new building.
