The violence that occurred during certain student gatherings has raised concerns. Councillor Hicham Imane questioned Pascal Lafosse, Deputy responsible for education, during the Provincial Council on October 13th. He inquired about the role of provincial educational institutions in prevention, citizenship education, and conflict management.
According to the Provincial Deputy, it is crucial "not to confuse the mobilization of young people who wish to make their voices heard with acts of violence or vandalism, which have no place in democratic expression." He reiterated that young people have the right to question the future and challenge decisions, an essential attitude for learning and practicing democracy.
Within provincial secondary education, the situation remained generally calm, with peaceful gatherings in the Centre and Mons-Borinage regions, although the situation was more tense in Charleroi. "Our primary responsibility was to ensure the safety of students, staff, and our infrastructure," the Deputy stated, mentioning preventive measures such as closing and monitoring certain entrances, adjusting schedules, and strengthening contact with police services.
School administrations and local authorities collaborated to ensure rapid information flow, especially in the age of social media. "The first prevention tool we implement is listening and building a trusting relationship between teaching teams and students," he affirmed. Internal mechanisms, such as discussion groups and exchange sessions, are organized to allow students to express themselves. The school's mission is to teach them to understand decisions affecting them, analyze information, construct arguments, listen to different opinions, and defend their convictions without resorting to violence.
This mission of citizenship education has long been undertaken by provincial education through specific actions and conflict mediation projects throughout the school year.
