Dendermonde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Children at Visitatieschool will have lunch in the renovated refectory starting this school year, marking a significant improvement in daily school life for students and staff alike. The announcement comes as schools across Belgium reopen following summer break, with infrastructure upgrades taking centre stage in efforts to enhance the learning environment.
The renovations on the refectory are not only about the cosmetic changes; it is an indicator of the administration’s dedication towards giving students decent facilities to spend time eating and socialising in during their school days. It is worth mentioning that the completion of the renovations coincides with the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year; thus, the students would be able to take advantage of the new facilities immediately after their arrival at school without any interruptions to their schedules. The administration of the school has stressed that it was planned in such a way as not to disturb school activities.
Why Was the Refectory Renovation Necessary?
Refectories in Flanders’ schools have come under increasing scrutiny lately, with the aging buildings failing to meet the current standards of capacity, accessibility, and cleanliness. The renovation of the Visitatieschool refectory falls into the pattern of infrastructural investments that can be observed throughout Antwerp and even the whole territory of Flanders, where local and regional authorities have focused their attention on school buildings improvement via subsidies programmes. Based on the infrastructure guidelines of AGION – an organization dealing with school building subsidies – such renovation normally deals with problems of old kitchen facilities, insufficient size of the refectory, bad ventilation, and lack of accessibility for students with disabilities.
Though there is no information regarding the specifics of the particular renovation in question, other renovations within the region have usually aimed at providing more spacious and bright dining room with good acoustics and kitchen connectivity.
“The refectory is not just a place to eat; it’s a social hub where children learn to interact, share, and develop important life skills,”
noted a spokesperson for a comparable school renovation project in Zelzate earlier this summer, highlighting the educational value of well-designed dining spaces.
When Will Students Begin Using the New Refectory?
The newly refurbished refectory of Visitatieschool will be ready for use from the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year, which started in early September 2026 in Flanders. This way, students can directly enjoy their new facilities without having to make do with provisional measures or old facilities while construction works are ongoing. It is typical for schools to organize the opening of their refectories in line with their overall school agenda, making sure that all relevant employees get enough training concerning new equipment and pass all health and safety inspections before starting to use the facilities.
