Global competence in Flemish secondary education: insights and critiques from a PISA perspective

This article examines the global competence of Flemish secondary school students using an adapted version of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 framework, addressing the region’s absence from the original global competence module. Drawing on data from 223 students across five schools, the research explores disparities in global competence by gender, educational track, socio-economic status and school diversity. While Flemish students perform near the international average, significant gaps emerge – particularly among students in vocational education and culturally diverse schools – highlighting structural inequalities in access to global citizenship education. The article critically engages with the Programme for International Student Assessment framework, questioning its cultural bias and reliance on self-report data, and advocates for more inclusive, context-sensitive assessment tools. Findings underscore the need for transformative educational practices that foster not only awareness and empathy but also civic agency and political engagement. This research contributes to ongoing debates on global citizenship education by situating global competence within local educational contexts and policy developments, offering insights for future reforms and assessment strategies.