Belgian PM 'shocked' by arsons on schools linked to sex ed protests

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Thursday he is "deeply shocked" by a series of arson attacks on schools linked to protests against mandatory sex education classes.

"Our schools have to be a safe place for all our children," De Croo said in a video posted on Facebook.

"Access to sex education cannot be called into question. It makes our children resilient and is the basis for good sexual health," he added.

Earlier this month, the parliament for Belgium's French-speaking regions adopted a proposal to make two-hour courses in sex education compulsory for pupils aged around 11 and 15, news agency Belga wrote.

Four schools were set on fire Tuesday night, with prosecutors linking the incidents to the protests, as graffiti with slogans against the reform were found at the sites, Belga wrote.

A fifth school burned on Wednesday night but no protest-related graffiti was found, prosecutors said.

The protests are fuelled by misinformation circulating on social media, including unfounded claims that pupils would learn how to masturbate in the new courses, Belgian public broadcaster RTBF reported.