Much has been in the news lately about the growing international education crisis in Luxembourg, particularly the lack of spaces for English language education. For recent paperJam articles on the subject (read HERE).

At an ABAL luncheon on February 5, 2007, AMCHAM's President Paul Michael Schonenberg delivered an update on the status of English-language teaching in secondary schools in Luxembourg, by confirming that the Lycée Athenée had announced that it would start an English-language Baccalaureate starting from September 2007.

"The Council of Government has given its agreement to undertake first reflections in that direction. The first step to be undertaken consists in establishing the needs, and this will be done during the spring, in close collaboration with the American, British and Luxembourgish Chambers of Commerce. Only afterwards will the proper preparatory work begin." Marion Reuter, (substituting for Mr. Romain, Secrétaire particular de Mady Delvaux-Stehres, Ministre de l'Éducation nationale et de la Formation professionnelle).

This announcement is a clear sign that the government is aware of the need for Luxembourg to improve its education offer to expatriates, especially in light of the growing talent gap and the need to attract high quality workers who only wish to come to Luxembourg if they can offer their children a top notch international education, or an English curriculum that offers continuity for their children's studies.

It also provides evidence that the Ministry of Education is responding to public debate and exploring reform of the educational system by looking at alternatives that provide solutions within the Luxembourg School system for all students: Luxembourgish, foreign residents and temporary expatriates.

Albeit, change does not happen overnight, and the Luxembourg system is particularly challenged by the demographics of the country and the multilingual capabilities, which, we should not forget, is one of Luxembourg's differentiating values. But surely, the best solution is an education system that provides all students with the educational tools to succeed in this "flattening world". Good news!