The Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB) has approved a new decree for secondary school enrollment, set to take effect in the upcoming February registration period.

This decree was approved by the majority of the MR-Engagés government coalition, though opposition parties like PS, Ecolo, and PTB voiced concerns that removing the socio-economic criterion could worsen social inequalities.

The new regulations are expected to be officially adopted in a plenary session within two weeks and will impact around 50,000 children currently in 6th grade primary school during the next enrollment cycle.

Among the key changes, the decree introduces sanctions for fraudulent practices such as false domicile claims, which now lead to form cancellations and require parents to wait until the next registration phase if caught.

It also eases rules related to the 'school presumed incomplete' status, allowing more schools to quickly regain this status and confirm placements immediately.

The most notable change is the removal of the eighth criterion, which previously considered the socio-economic index of the primary school of origin, addressing concerns that it created inequalities, especially affecting families in the northwest of Brussels.