EDUCATION – HEALTH – LABOUR
*The full text of this article is available as PDF below.
In Belgium, children are obliged to go to school from 6 to 18 years old. The school can welcome them as soon as they are 2 and a half years old. Parents are responsible for the regular presence of their children at school.
For the children of undocumented migrants’ families too, school is compulsory. They must be enrolled and attend school regularly. Most schools are mixed: girls and boys attend the same schools and classes together.
The school is divided into three levels: nursery school: for children between 2 and a half and 5 years of age; primary school: for children from 6 years of age; secondary school: for children from 12 years of age.
Before primary school, there is the nursery school which welcomes children from the age of 2 and a half.
In kindergarten, your child will discover the school and the other children. At this age, young children learn very quickly. It also makes it easy for them to learn the French language that they will need in the classroom later on.
We strongly advise you to put your child in school from the age of 3. Even if it is not obligatory, it will be very useful for him/her for the rest of his/her schooling.
Yes. From the age of 6 to 18, school is compulsory.
Six years old is the beginning of elementary school. There are six primary years at the end of which a diploma is awarded in order to enter secondary school. At the end of primary school, at about 12 years old, students start secondary school.
From the third year onwards, several orientations are possible:
study for higher education in the transition sections; learn a trade in the qualification sections; take more practical training that is shared between school and company.
We advise you to look for a school and register your child as soon as possible after your arrival in Belgium. Make an appointment at the school.
If you have difficulty speaking or understanding the language, go with an interpreter or someone who can translate. You can also ask to use a specialized translation and interpreting service.
Talk about it at school.
No, enrolment in a school of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation is free. But beware! Some school services and supplies may be subject to a charge: the canteen at lunchtime, the nursery or study centre, certain cultural and sports activities, photocopies, books, equipment,… These are the school fees.
If the school asks for money for registration, you have the right to refuse.
Find out about school fees. They are different from school to school. If you are having financial difficulties, ask to meet with the principal to find a solution.
There are sometimes financial aid for secondary school students (scholarships). Check with your child’s school.
Schools organize day-care centres for children aged 3 to 12 before and after school. They usually charge a fee.
Schools also organize studies, which allow children to do their homework, sports and socio-cultural activities.
There are also many extra-curricular activities for children and teenagers outside school (sports, singing, dancing, music, drawing, creative expression, etc.). Ask the school for more information.
The price varies from one activity to another and from one association to another. Please inquire.
During the school holidays, you can also enrol your child in a holiday centre, a training course or a day-care centre.
Ask your child’s school, your local authority or the Office de la Naissance et l’Enfance (ONE). Some mutual insurance companies can help you financially.
The greatest service you can do for your child is to follow his work at school: meet his teachers, make yourself available, encourage him to do his homework and accompany him, ask him to
In Belgium, everyone is entitled to health care. Part of this care is paid for by the mutual insurance companies.
People who do not have a mutual insurance company are entitled to medical assistance from the CPAS or to “urgent medical assistance”.
Please note: people with a tourist or professional visa do not fall into this category as they have to pay for health care personally.
Do I have to join a health insurance company? What is the purpose of a mutual insurance company?
A mutual insurance company is a private organization that reimburses, in whole or in part, health care benefits. It pays benefits in the event of incapacity for work, informs you and answers your health questions.
If you meet the conditions, you must register with a mutual insurance company.
If you cannot be covered by the mutual insurance company, there is a system that allows you to pay for health care via the PSWC.
If you are undocumented, you are entitled to “urgent medical assistance”.
There are several mutual societies or mutual insurance companies. All mutuals offer more or less the same services. In the general system, there is no contribution to pay.
This is levied at source on the salary (social security contributions) or via agreements with other bodies.
When you see a doctor, he or she will give you a certificate proving that you have seen the doctor. If you give this certificate to your mutual insurance company, it will reimburse you for the consultation, in whole or in part. Usually, part of your medical expenses are paid by the mutual insurance companies and the other part by you. For medicines, it is the same thing, but the reimbursement is only for certain medicines and results in a reduction in their price at the pharmacist’s.
What are my rights as a patient?
You can choose and change your doctor at any time.
You have the right to be informed of your health status, possible treatments and risks.
Before starting treatment, the doctor must ask you if you agree.
You can ask to see your medical records. You have the right to medical confidentiality.
If you have difficulty speaking or understanding the language, you can ask for a specialised translation and interpreting service.
Talk to your contact person (hospital, medical centre, etc.).
First consult a general practitioner. He or she will refer you to a specialist or hospital if necessary.
If you don’t know where to find a GP, ask at a pharmacy near you. Avoid going to the on-call service of a hospital for all your health problems, except in extreme emergencies. The GP you see may be able to advise you on what to do.
It’s always best to see the same doctor. You’ll get to know each other better. You will have a relationship of trust with him and he will keep your health record up to date.
When your doctor thinks you need specialist care, he or she may refer you to a hospital. Most hospitals have a polyclinic where you can see specialist doctors. Hospitals will arrange for dentists, eye specialists, physiotherapists, etc. to visit you. These consultations are at fixed times or usually by appointment. You cannot therefore be received there in an emergency.
If you are ill in the evening, at night or on the weekend, you can go to a doctor on call or ask him to come to your home if you are unable to travel.
To find an on-call doctor near you, call your usual doctor (an answering machine will give you the number of the on-call doctor). The on-call doctor will see if it is a serious emergency, in which case he or she will advise you to go to a hospital on-call service.
In Brussels, you can also contact SOS Médecins: 02/513.02.02 www.sosmedecins.be
Are there other places where I can be treated?
You can also get treatment at a medical centre near you. At the medical home you can consult general practitioners, social workers, psychologists, dentists, gynaecologists and paediatricians.
www.maisonmedicale.org
Most mutual insurance companies also run polyclinics where you can consult specialists, general practitioners, dentists, gynaecologists and paediatricians.
For more information, contact your health insurance company.
I’m handicapped. Where can I find help for me and my family?
If you have a disability, you may find it difficult to get around, find work, make connections, be independent…
There are organizations that care for and advise people with disabilities. They can help you and your family.
For more information: in Brussels: Phare (Personne Handicapée Autonomie Recherchée): www.phare-irisnet.be in Wallonia: AWIPH (Agence Wallonne pour l’intégration des Personnes Handicapées): www.awiph.be
All citizens are equal in rights and dignity.
Men and women are equal. Men and women have the same rights and duties, including :
All forms of discrimination are prohibited. This concerns in particular:
All persons are entitled to equal protection of the law. Every foreigner who is in the territory of Belgium enjoys the protection afforded to persons and property, except for the exceptions established by law.
There are fundamental freedoms and the State guarantees the exercise of these freedoms, in particular:
– individual freedom,
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, assembly, association and religion.
The law enshrines
Human rights and freedoms are exercised with respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the general welfare. The State can therefore provide a framework for these rights and freedoms. For example, freedom of belief cannot be invoked to deny school laws. Freedom of expression, for example, does not permit insulting a person or a group of people.
Everyone has the right to human dignity, in particular:
For these rights to be realized, there is a system based on solidarity: between those in work and the elderly, between those with jobs and those without, between those with children and those without, between those who are well and those who are ill.
This system also makes it possible to help those who are disabled or who have no means of support (integration income and social assistance).
