Starting next school year, secondary schools and vocational training programs will offer more classes in French, Minister of Education Claude Meisch announced on Friday. The goal is clear: to provide students with equal educational opportunities regardless of their native language.
More than two-thirds of students do not speak Luxembourgish or German at home, yet German remains the principal language of instruction in the school system. The expansion of French-language education is therefore being presented as a step towards greater educational equity.
Meisch stated that, by broadening the French-language offer alongside the existing German-focused education, more students learn with the language that suits them best. According to the minister, the reform promotes equal opportunities and social cohesion while preserving “the strength of multilingualism that characterises Luxembourg’s schools.”
Before 2020, French-language education was largely aimed at newly arrived students. The first francophone seventh-grade class was introduced in 2021. Under the new expansion, French-focused education will be available in every region of the country. In classical secondary education (Classique), the number of participating schools will increase from one to four. In general (Général) secondary education, the number will rise from six to 17 schools, while preparatory (Préparatoire) programmes will expand from two to 10 establishments.
The curriculum, assessment methods, teaching approaches and learning materials will remain the same, even if they are delivered in a different language. Students will still work towards the same diplomas. Claude Meisch emphasised that diversifying the educational offer allows the school system to better reflect the realities of today's society.
