Government Presents Priorities For The 2026/2027 School Year.

On Thursday 10 September 2026, Luxembourg’s Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, presented the government’s priorities for the 2026/2027 school year.

In a press release, the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth remarked: “Changes in society do not stop at the school gates. The growing diversity of the school population, digital transformation, climate change, insecurity caused by wars and the excessive use of smartphones in everyday life are all challenges that schools cannot tackle alone, but which have a profound impact on them.”

The ministry noted that following the publication of the PISA 2025 study, the general decline in reading, science and mathematics skills, observed in Luxembourg as well as in many other countries, is concerning.

“The PISA results reflect not only the performance of our students, but also the reality of our society,” emphasised Minister Meisch. “They challenge us and oblige us to act. Starting with this school year, several measures will come into force that will provide concrete responses to the challenges highlighted by PISA.”

Accordingly, the measures announced by Minister Meisch are mainly structured around the following areas:

A broader language offering

The linguistic diversity of the school population remains one of the major challenges facing Luxembourg’s education system. The ministry announced it is therefore continuing its efforts to promote greater equality of opportunity, particularly through increased flexibility in language teaching.

In primary education, the ALPHA – zesumme wuessen (growing together) reform will take into account the fact that more than two-thirds of students do not speak either German or Luxembourgish at home. In 2026/2027, parents of a child enrolled in Cycle 1.2 will, for the first time, be able to choose the language in which their child will learn to read, write and do arithmetic in Cycle 2: French or German. ALPHA will therefore allow more students to learn in a language that is close to their mother tongue, giving them better chances of succeeding throughout their schooling.

At secondary-school level, the availability of French-language classes is being considerably expanded in classical secondary education, general secondary education (including the preparatory track), and vocational education and training.

From the 2027/2028 school year, German-language sections will also be offered as a pilot project in three classical secondary schools. In all these classes, the curriculum and academic requirements will remain identical; only the language of instruction will be adapted.

Curricula adapted to today’s challenges

To respond to changes in society, the diversity of students’ needs, and new educational and technological requirements, school curricula and teaching materials are being adapted.

In primary education, the introduction of the new curriculum in 2026/2027 represents an important step in this modernisation, particularly through the cross-curricular areas that occupy a central place in it. Linked to major societal issues, these areas will enable students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand the contemporary world and act responsibly within it.

In secondary education, consultations are continuing as part of the preparation of a white paper devoted to curriculum development. In 2026/2027, preparations for reforming the preparatory track will also be a priority.

Strengthening inclusive education

In addition to structural reforms that have already been launched or are being prepared, the ministry said that schools must be able to respond to complex situations encountered on a daily basis. Several concrete measures will strengthen inclusive education.

Targeted interventions, rapid and clear decisions, appropriate structures and effective management of difficult situations should ensure that students with special educational needs receive the support they require, while also providing schools with appropriate assistance.

The new measures include, in particular, the introduction of an intervention plan for managing emotional crises among primary-school students, the strengthening of specialised teams in schools, the expansion and regionalisation of competence centres, and improved support for families through the ONE-Schouldéngscht service.

Extending compulsory schooling to better prevent early school leaving

The ministry highlighted that the PISA 2025 study shows that approximately one-third of fifteen-year-old students do not have the essential skills needed to participate fully in society. This concerning finding confirms the importance of extending compulsory schooling, which, starting with the 2026/2027 school year, will gradually be extended from age sixteen to age eighteen.

In 2026/2027, this applies to young people born after 31 August 2009. It will be accompanied by strengthened prevention and support measures for students at risk of dropping out, with the aim of keeping them in education longer and improving their chances of success.

The planned measures include expanding the range of programmes offered by socio-professional integration centres (CISP) and establishing apprenticeship preparation classes (CPA). These classes will accommodate vocational-education students who have not yet found an apprenticeship position.

Reform of the preparatory track

Preparatory work for reforming the preparatory track will continue in 2026/2027. The reform, which will gradually come into effect from 2027/2028, aims to better address students’ individual needs through, among other things, a broader language offering, more individualised educational pathways, modernised curricula, and strengthened socio-educational support.

Towards a general smartphone ban in the lower grades of secondary schools

Children and young people are growing up in an increasingly digital environment. The PISA 2025 study confirms that excessive use of smartphones and other connected devices during leisure time is associated with poorer academic performance.

These findings once again underline the importance of a clear and consistent approach to the use of digital devices at school and confirm the relevance of the restrictions on smartphone use already introduced in 2025.

However, the results of PISA 2025 also show that it is necessary to go further in limiting their use. The minister’s proposal to introduce a general ban on smartphones in the lower grades of secondary schools will be discussed with all school stakeholders.

At the same time, the range of activities promoting physical activity, motor skills, creativity and social interaction among children and young people will continue to be developed as part of the Screen-Life-Balance campaign.

Joint efforts to strengthen reading skills

The increasing use of smartphones and social media has profoundly changed reading habits. The decline in reading skills (reading comprehension) reported by PISA 2025 is particularly concerning.

Strengthening these skills, which are essential for learning, understanding and critical analysis, will therefore be one of the priorities for the coming school year.

A national action plan will be launched to establish a lasting culture of reading among young people, with particular attention paid to longer texts, whose reading requires concentration and stamina.

The ministry said: “All these measures demonstrate a clear intention: to gradually develop Luxembourg’s education system so that it is better adapted to today’s realities, in order to provide students with better support throughout their educational journey and give everyone the best possible conditions to make progress, flourish and build their future.”