The governance of online learning during the covid-19 pandemic in the Flemish Community of Belgium.

The covid-19 pandemic triggered three major tendencies in the transformation of
governance of learning in Flanders: a never-before-seen decentralization of online learning, a never higher need for involvement of parents in the education of their children through home online learning, and a balancing exercise performed at the center of decision making between health issues on the one hand and the benefit of continued learning of students around school closures and school re-openings on the other hand. This article examines the impact of these three major tendencies on education policymakers, school principals, teachers, parents, and students in the Flemish Community of Belgium (Flanders). It proceeds with an outline of the consequences of the choices made regarding educational disadvantage, particularly the exclusion of vulnerable students from quality education during the pandemic in Flanders. The article concludes with some considerations regarding the long-term impact of “unfinished learning” on Flemish students.