On Monday 13 July 2026, Luxembourg's Ministry of Education, Children and Youth published the 2026 compilation of evaluation reports for the pilot project "ALPHA – zesumme wuessen".
According to the ministry, the 2026 evaluations confirm the main findings reported in 2025, including a lower rate of pupils repeating a school cycle in the pilot schools, a trend towards improved academic performance, higher pupil motivation and engagement, stronger parental involvement and the pedagogical and organisational feasibility of the reform. A new finding also emerged: teachers believe that nearly one in two pupils would benefit from learning to read and write first in French.
The ministry noted that the pilot project has operated in four primary schools since the 2022/2023 school year and has undergone what it described as an unprecedented scientific evaluation involving the University of Luxembourg, the Luxembourg Centre for Educational Testing (LUCET), the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and several other educational institutions. Scientific monitoring will continue throughout the gradual rollout of the reform until the 2032/2033 school year.
According to the evaluation, the proportion of pupils repeating Cycle 2 fell by 35% compared with the average of the previous eight school years and, for the first time, dropped below the national average (13.67% compared with 14.19%). The ministry described this as an encouraging indicator of smoother educational pathways and fewer early learning difficulties.
A national simulation carried out ahead of the reform's wider introduction also indicated that 51.4% of pupils would likely begin literacy instruction in German, while 48.6% would benefit from French, based on teachers' assessments. Parents will retain the final choice of literacy language when the reform expands nationwide.
Meeting with presidents of Luxembourg's primary schools and regional education directors between May and July 2026, Luxembourg's Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, stressed the importance of cooperation ahead of the reform's nationwide implementation: "A reform of this scale can only succeed through close collaboration between all partners at every level. Discussions with those working in the field confirm that preparations for implementation are now well advanced. This collective momentum is essential to ensuring the success of the ALPHA reform for the benefit of all pupils."
