After several years of reflection and evaluation on teacher training in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the decree defining initial teacher training was adopted by Parliament in February 2019.
The reform process was launched in 2011 with a qualitative, participatory and forward-looking evaluation carried out by Saint-Louis University. The final report of this study highlighted several issues, including the difficulties faced by teachers, particularly in their first years of practice.
In 2013, GT4O, a technical group comprising the four higher education providers (universities, university colleges, arts colleges and adult higher education institutions), was set up to formulate concrete proposals for the reform.
In general, the reform aims to better equip teachers to deal with the increasing complexity of the profession, to enable them to support the success of all pupils, and to enhance the status of the teaching profession in a context of shortage.
The teaching certificate (CAP) is not part of this reform but remains available to people undergoing professional retraining. More information on the CAP is available on the website mesetudes.be.
The decree introduces changes to the structure of teacher training. From 2023-2024, in order to qualify to teach in nursery schools and secondary schools up to 3rd, teachers will need to complete a three-year bachelor's degree in teaching and a one-year master's degree in teaching (240 credits).
From 2025-2026, future teachers of secondary school years 4 to 6 will follow a programme consisting of three years of a bachelor's degree in a specific subject and two years of a master's degree in teaching (300 credits).
Direct training leads to a master's degree in teaching sections 1, 2, 3 or 4. Each section prepares students to teach specifically at different levels (nursery, primary, etc.). For more details, please visit mesetudes.be.
It is also possible to follow a deferred teacher training programme. In this case, individuals who already have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree (240 to 300 credits) in one of the subjects specified in the decree of 7 February 2019 can complete their training to become a teacher by taking a one-year master's degree in teaching (60 credits). This allows them to teach from the 4th to the 6th year of secondary school in the subject of their master's degree.
The reform involves joint certification between at least two types of training providers: university colleges, universities or arts colleges. A decree stipulates how credits for the course are to be allocated between training providers according to the sections and cycles of study concerned.
Starting in 2023-2024, every student enrolled in a teaching programme will be able to or will be required to take a test to assess their proficiency in French. Failure to pass this test will not prevent students from continuing their studies, but their French language skills will be reinforced during the programme.
Full details of this test can be found on the website mesetudes.be.
Advanced master's degrees in teaching are also planned. These aim to further develop the skills of teachers with five years' experience and a master's degree in teaching.
The reform also introduces an advanced master's degree in teacher training (MSFE), which is required to teach certain aspects of teacher training in higher education.
Article 7 of the decree of 7 February 2019 defining teacher training (FIE) provides for the creation of the Commission de coordination de la FIE de l’enseignement obligatoire, de promotion sociale et secondaire artistique à horaire réduit (COCOFIE). The same article specifies the terms of creation and organisation of this Commission, as well as its tasks.
In terms of organisation, the COCOFIE is hosted by the ARES, which provides its secretariat.
The various tasks of the COCOFIE include, among other things, issuing opinions to the Government either at the latter's request or on its own initiative at least every three years.
All COCOFIE opinions are available online on the ARES website.
For further information: contact the support unit for the reform of teacher training - fie@ares-ac.be.