Record absenteeism in Flanders leads many students to lose crucial educational support. Eight thousand eight hundred students reportedly lost aid due to unauthorized school absences.
The significant losses primarily occurred among secondary level students within the region.
Both kindergarten and primary schools experienced over one thousand students losing government support. Financial aid, known as Groeipakket, targets low-income families throughout the district.
Repeated absenteeism exceeding thirty half-days prompts reimbursement demands for previous financial assistance. Officials attribute increases to stronger monitoring, but experts warn about vulnerable families’ hardship.