I’m a student teacher in Belgium, currently heading into my final year. Over the past two years, I went from being pro-education (as it currently is) to becoming deeply critical of it. My sudden dislike stems from the fact that the focus is no longer on educating, but on parenting the students. We’re expected to pamper them to such an extent that they can no longer handle feedback, lack discipline, and have no proper work ethic.
Even worse is the growing tendency of parents to blame teachers for misbehaviour or failing grades. But that’s not necessarily our fault—you still have to parent your child.
What frustrates me the most is the lack of respect for teachers. We work incredibly hard, only to be met with passive students who wait for us to give them model answers so they can copy them into their notebooks. When I brought up this issue with the principal, he said it was normal and that the "prime days of education" are long gone.
On top of that, the overall quality of education in Belgium has declined significantly. Many students struggle to speak Dutch, can’t do basic math, can’t read properly, and are poorly prepared for both university and the workforce. A major contributor to this problem is the ongoing teacher shortage.
I wanted to become a teacher to educate and inspire young minds—to help shape the future of our country. Sadly, this goal feels very far from the current reality in schools.
Is this the reason for the exodus in education? I’m not sure. But I do hope things change in the near future so that teaching can become an attractive and respected profession once again.