The online news outlet Reporter has revealed that a study on the French literacy classes project Alpha has not yet been published, prompting speculation that the Ministry of Education may be unhappy with the findings.
The study, conducted by the LUCET research centre in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg, reportedly questions the effectiveness of the literacy reform.
In response, Pirate Party MP Sven Clement demanded that the report be released within 24 hours. To that end, he submitted a motion in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. He stated that any vote against his motion would effectively be a vote against the Chamber’s supervisory role.
The motion was ultimately rejected on Wednesday morning, with only the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) supporting Clement's initiative. The ADR had also issued a statement on Tuesday calling for the reform to be halted.
The left-wing opposition parties – the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), the Green Party (Déi Gréng), and the Left Party (Déi Lénk) – did not back the motion, citing factual inaccuracies. Clement's motion had claimed that parents have until 9 July to decide whether their children would be taught in German or French – a statement that is incorrect. Clement himself acknowledged this error in the Chamber on Wednesday morning.
Although they did not support the motion, the LSAP, Green Party, and Left Party emphasised that they share the underlying concerns. LSAP MP Francine Closener voiced disapproval of what she described as actions that risk giving the public the impression that information is being withheld.
The majority parties – the Democratic Party (DP) and the Christian Social People's Party (CSV) – have announced that the report will be discussed in the parliamentary education committee next Tuesday.
The study is scheduled to be published on Monday.
