Summary:

STEM participation in Flemish secondary schools fell for the fourth consecutive year, reaching its lowest level in ten years. Last school year 35.5% of pupils chose a STEM track, down from 36.44% the year before and below the government target of over 40% by 2030. The decline continues despite more than a decade of intensive promotion. Employers' group Voka warns this hurts capacity for addressing major challenges like climate and digitalisation — six of ten shortage occupations are STEM roles, Voka chair Frank Beckx says. Ann Caluwaerts (Imec, STEM platform) calls the trend "a time bomb under our prosperity."