On the eve of the festive season, Nora discovers the Christmas Bulletin. Three empty columns in maths, history lessons taught by two different substitutes, tests postponed. Her mother is no longer surprised: the shortage of teachers has turned the school into a timetable full of holes.

Timetables in a Swiss cheese, reforms at the wrong time: who guarantees progress when a teacher is absent without replacement? The teacher shortage is no longer background noise; it dictates the organisation of the year.

As a direct consequence, tutoring is no longer a bonus. In 2025, it is the only safety net that ensures educational continuity. When the institution, weakened, can no longer do it alone.

When the teacher shortage puts a hole in the timetable

In the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, 86% of school management staff say that the lack of teachers is affecting the quality of teaching. Since January, replacement pools have been extended to Namur and Walloon Brabant. This is a sign that absenteeism is no longer being adequately covered. The result in the classroom: three weeks without maths in November, then a non-specialist replacement in December.

This «calendar with holes» puts everyone out of alignment. Chapters are skipped, assessments are staggered, and coherent progression disappears. With the structural shortage of teachers, pupils see their learning curve fragmented. But the official expectations have not disappeared.

Common core, U-turns and early pressure

In October 2025, the political decision to freeze the extension of the Common Core to Secondary 3 meant that options and streams were reintroduced early. Families who had thought they had more time discovered that guidance was once again under pressure from the 1st and 2nd years onwards.

This change of direction, combined with the shortage of teachers, increases the pressure: to keep the best 3rd year options open, you need solid points now. External monitoring helps to secure these achievements, despite the shake-up in school provision.

Falling standards, demanding universities

The national assessments published in November 2025 confirm stagnation or even a decline in French and maths, with a widening gap at secondary level. At the same time, universities are not lowering their entrance standards.

The gap between exit level and entry requirements is widening. Faced with this shortage of teachers and massification, the challenge is clear: maintain a «university» level throughout the year, even when the class is moving forward in fits and starts.

Support, a parallel infrastructure

In 2025, tutoring is no longer just remedial work. It's a structure of continuity: it doesn't go on strike, doesn't leave without a break and doesn't change its programme every six months. It follows a regular path, regardless of disruptions.

In practical terms, an external framework establishes a reliable timetable, mobilises specialists in each subject and guarantees coverage of the official curriculum. For families, this is the only coherent response when the shortage of teachers leaves a hole in the school week.

• A precise diagnosis of shortcomings, course by course, in line with the standards of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and, if necessary, with French expectations.
• A timetabled plan to fill the gaps in maths, French and science, with assessment milestones and scheduled revision.
• Speakers who are specialists in the subject, capable of ensuring progress rather than approximate generalist support.
• Educational continuity in the event of prolonged absence from school: ordered sequences, supervised homework, regular feedback to parents.
• Guidance from secondary 1 to secondary 2 to secure access to options in 3e, despite the freezing of the Common Core.

Acting now: a three-stage plan

First step: take stock of the situation during the holidays. Make a precise list of the chapters not covered, prioritise the core subjects (maths, French, science), and set aside fixed weekly slots for gradual catching up. Regularity beats urgency.

Second stage: rebuilding the missing learning chain. Objectives, methods, exercises and quick assessments to check what has been learned are lined up. Third step: prepare for orientation and second-semester exams in January, to cushion any future jolts caused by the teacher shortage.

«When school becomes a Swiss cheese, continuity is no longer a hope: it's a decision you have to make.»