How could we improve the educational system in France?

Résumé du document

Usual fuss and criticism surrounded Xavier Darcos's (former French Minister of Education) last reform. This was not surprising. Maybe the French people are not eager to accept a change in their educational system. How could we improve the educational system in France?

Extraits

[...] We also could organize meetings with university and vocational schools teachers, elder students and professionals. These meetings already exist but they only take place a few days not to say one afternoon. More time has to be devoted to it so that the students make the better and the more coherent choices. To conclude, our educational system is far from being inefficient. In the meanwhile, I think the three proposals I made about meritocracy, career advice and course organization could be three keys to improve the French education system. [...]

[...] Concerning France, the first step has already been taken through the suppression of the educational map. Since 2007, every kid can go in the school he wants to go without being restrained by this map. As a consequence, the best students will enter the best schools. I understand some people can be shocked by this point of view but I think it is better to encourage success than penalize some kids owing to equality. However, this kind of choice involves a deep change concerning kids' skills. [...]

[...] We look at university as the better career. Yet, studying in university doesn't fit with everyone's profile. Some students are not comfortable with impersonal teaching, complete autonomy or by-heart learning. Hence a high rate of failures during the first year: less than 50 per cent of the first-year students go up to the next year. This is the reason why I think vocational and trade schools must be put on top of the agenda. They propose alternative and shorter studies, more adapted to students who do not fit with the French student type profile. [...]

[...] This was not surprising; the reform just followed the usual path of an education reform in France. Maybe French people are not eager to accept a change in their education system. This is not my point of view. I do believe the French education system could be bettered: first meritocracy should be updated; then career advice has to be improved; finally we should modify the organization of courses. First, I think we should come back to a core value of our education system and also of our political system that is meritocracy. [...]