Schools in Leuven

Belgian has one of the best school systems around. They begin their publicly funded school programs at the age of two and a half. The secondary schools finish around the age of 18, at which you can then attend a university. As a Belgian citizen, even that tuition is covered and only costs the equivalent of 700 US dollars a year. Amazing compared to college and university tuition back home! But I guess in the big scheme, you either pay it slowly in taxes or slowly with student loans :)

Another interesting fact is that all the schools for children start at the beginning of September, every "district" on the same day all accross the country. Then the universities will start at the beginning of October. There are no "colleges" here really, just some smaller public universities that still have about 10,000+ students.&

So anyways, here are a few pictures of my daughter's first day of school. Of course she is just over 2 & 1/2, but a little pupil already. She will quickly catch on with the language in this place.



Excited little girl ready for her first day.


The classroom for the 1st grade, but more the age of preschoolers. This is before all the kiddies were allowed in of course.


All the childrens "boektasse" stacked in the cubby holes.