Delano’s Duncan Roberts in the Ara City Radio studios Ara City Radio

Delano’s Duncan Roberts in the Ara City Radio studios  Ara City Radio

Ara City Radio’s Monday morning slot featured Tom Clarke and Duncan Roberts talking about the “rentrée” as Luxembourg students and teachers return to school this week.

Duncan Roberts joined Ara City Radio breakfast show host Tom Clarke on Monday for the regular Delano’s Top of the Week segment.

With the traditional start of the school year scheduled for 15 September, talk was all about the Luxembourg public school system, the growing demand for English-language schools and the performance of the education system.

Education minister Claude Meisch (DP) holds a press conference ahead of the rentrée on Tuesday, though apart from welcoming the first return to school without covid restrictions since 2019, there is not much new he is expected to say. One novelty, however, is that Maison Relais care during term time will be free of charge.

The growth in demand for English-language education at all levels, spurred by the need to attract international talent, means there are now several public schools that offer either International Baccalaureate or English A-level in English in addition to the well-established private schools, ISL and St. George’s.

But Luxembourg’s public education system is still too inflexible and relies on students mastering three languages to get ahead. This is shown in the results of the OECD’s triennial Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) survey of 15-year-olds, in which the grand duchy has been recording below average results in science, reading and maths since 2000.

Duncan also showcased three of Delano’s 10 Things To Do recommendations--published each Saturday in a Weekend newsletter--including the British Irish Film Festival that starts on 16 September, the India Day celebrations next Saturday down in Esch and the Luxembourg Craft Beer Celebration in Neimënster over the weekend of 17 and 18 September.

Finally, Duncan’s music choice was A Certain Ratio’s Keep It Together, featuring the great late Denise Johnson, from the EPA EP which has now been released as a single disc together with the other two EPs the Manchester funksters released in 2021.

Tune in again next week Monday around 8.30am on (87.8 - 102.9 -105.2 FM) or listen to the podcast on Delano.