The introduction of a language test for newcomers in Flanders has sparked a dispute between the Flemish government and the education sector. The test, which is set to be implemented as

part of the integration program from September, is facing criticism from academics and education providers who question its validity and reliability.

According to experts from the Centre for Language and Education (CTO), who conducted an initial pilot study, the standardized language test NT2 does not meet the necessary standards. The CTO, affiliated with KU Leuven, states that scientific validation of the test cannot be achieved by September. They suggest that a valid and reliable test can only be produced by March or April of the following year.

An analysis recently published by the CTO highlights that the current test does not accurately measure the language proficiency of learners. The experts state that they cannot support the current scenario, emphasizing the need for a valid, reliable, and fair test.

Despite these concerns, Flemish Education Minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) remains determined to proceed with the test. He believes that it is essential to provide non-native speakers with the guarantee that they can attain the same language level regardless of their location. Weyts sees the test as a necessary tool for integration in Flanders.

Minister Weyts acknowledges the continued role of evaluation by education centers in the assessment process alongside the standardized test. However, education umbrella organizations and primary education centers have expressed their discontent with the situation. In a letter to the minister, they describe the implementation as problematic and entirely unrealistic. They point out that promised training has not taken place, and the test itself seems to require six hours instead of the designated two.

The education partners are demanding more resources and insisting that the test should not yet have any legal consequences. Negotiations between the government and the concerned partners began on Monday and are set to continue on Tuesday.

The new integration policy has already faced criticism, with adult education centers challenging it in the Constitutional Court. The compulsory nature of the test for newcomers learning Dutch as a second language has been seen as a violation of the freedom of education.

The director of CVO Lethas in Brussels, Veerle Adams, argues that students can only obtain their diploma by passing this exam, which infringes on their right and the educational institution's autonomy in determining the participants' course level. Such interference with the freedom of education is seen as disproportionate since evaluation is an integral part of the educational process. Photo by creator: WillemVandenbussche, Wikimedia commons.