This synopsis has three distinct parts. The first specifies the institutional and political framework of education in Brussels. The second establishes a series of observations, which may be considered relatively divided, based on abundant and convergent academic literature. The third part deals with the major challenges and debates related to the education system in Brussels.
Let us mention that this synopsis focuses only on preschool, primary and secondary education, and that non-compulsory1 higher education is not considered. The spatial framework is the territory of the bilingual Brussels-Capital Region, which includes the city’s 19 municipalities. The relations with the outskirts are also taken into account, but mainly in terms of the commuting movements (in-bound and out‑bound).