Over 70 pupils registered at Moroccan school

The school, called 'Iqra' or 'Learning' in Dutch, builds on a project that provides support for school children. Both initiatives were started by the Federation of Moroccan Associations.

The people behind the school say that it should fill a vacuum. They claim that existing Flemish schools have failed to rein in social inequality. They add that too many Moroccan youngsters are dropping out of school early without a diploma and as a result they end up in difficulty.

The new school will build on elements from experience-oriented education. Dutch is the language of the school, but on the playground the pupils will be able to converse in the language they use at home. This should promote respect for their own culture as well as self-respect.

Mohamed Chakkar says it's not only children of Moroccan parents who are registering for the new school: "Over 70 pupils have registered. Over 80% are of Moroccan descent. Some hail from Sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan and Portugal."

The school will start in September with tree kindergarten classes and a first year of primary school.