the strength of government commitment to schooling is reflected by a sustained high level of investment in schooling and favourable conditions for teaching across schools as indicated by comparatively low class size and studentteacher ratios recent changes to the system for distributing operating grants and staffing went in line with substantial increases in the overall budget for schooling parental choice is supported by the school funding system in particular the commitment of the flemish community to free education regardless of the choice of school parents do not have to pay tuition fees for publicly recognised schooling and there is a uniform approach to recurrent funding of schools in all networks