BRUSSELS (Brussels Morning) – At the first Education Festival of the VGC, Dutch-language education in Brussels and especially its teachers were in the spotlight. Teachers, school boards and their partners who support education were given plenty of opportunities to exchange knowledge and skills. The education festival is part of a broader action plan by Brussels minister Sven Gatz to tackle the shortage of teachers and increase the appreciation of the teaching profession.
The themes of Urban Education were high on the agenda at the festival in the brand new Campus Kanal of the Erasmus University College. “Teachers were given ideas about education in the super diverse and cosmopolitan city that makes up the Brussels-Capital Region, with its enormously diverse population in terms of origin, religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and of course multilingualism in the schools,” it says in a statement given as a press release.
Various specialists and more playful performances could count on wide interest. Teachers were given the opportunity to exchange practical stories and educational partners such as the Databuzz, Youth and Music Brussels or the House of Dutch presented their offer.
Brussels minister Sven Gatz, who is responsible for Dutch-language education and school construction in the VGC college, was also present. “I’m mainly here to thank all of our teachers,” said Gatz. “To be a teacher today requires a great deal of commitment everywhere. Even more so in our Dutch-language education in Brussels, where multilingualism and diversity are two enormous challenges, among many others.”
“From the VGC, we strongly believe in appreciation and respect for our teachers, which is why we pioneered a campaign in May last year to put teachers in the spotlight and recruit new teachers. In June, at the second phase of the With the Flemish campaign, we will be able to emphasise the Brussels accents in our education even more.”