Troppo in fretta troppo segreto troppo unilaterale: “I nuovi obiettivi di consegna stanno già causando disordini”

The new attainment targets for primary eduction need to be finished in a month time so they can be rolled out next school year. As a teacher, THIS political maneuvering is exactly what lowers education levels. Even IF you assume the process can be done diligently in a month time (it can’t) the rollout will be problematic. After the Flemish curriculum is public, the education nets will make their own versions of it, which takes about a month. The reality of the situation is that many teachers rely on authors writing books, who will then have (after the curriculum passes) about a month to write it before it needs to be printed to be ready for the next school year. Result: Books that focus on the old content (which the author had ready) and have the new content tacked on. What happens next is that there will be judicial proceedings which the Flemish government will lose (as it has always done in the past 30 years), resulting in a new and changed curriculum in two years. “Ah, but teachers should not rely on books.” you say. I agree, but the day to day reality of education is what I’m talking about. This puts a whole bunch of extra work on the teachers only for them to have to renew everything in two years time. Believe me when I say that having to throw away work is not a pleasant experience.

Make no mistake: this is a deliberate strategy by NV-A to push the new curriculum before the education nets have a chance to react. Any hold-up can then be constructed as ‘being against higher standards’. I went trough 4(!) different curricula in 6 years time in secondary eduction. I can promise you that did not improve my teaching.

Notice how these issues are completely separate from the actual modernization and contents of the new attainment targets. I actually like the direction they are heading. But this undermines both support for these targets AND their efficacy.