I. Background
French education system was one of the best in the world, but is currently ranked average in the developed world by
Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Education is compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16 years,
but most learners start at the age of 2 years. Above 50% of 18 to 21 year olds still in school or following a vocational training
course.
64% of the pupils’ complete secondary education and take the high-school leaving certificate examinations (the
baccalaureate or the baccalaureate professional), though the national target is 80%.
II. LEVELS
- The major levels are;
i. Kindergarten or Pre-school (Cole Martenelle)
For pupils aged 2-6 years and prepares them for primary school. Has 3 classes; ‘less petit’, ‘less moyens’, and ‘less grands’. In addition to playing, the pupils also undertake reading and writing, numeracy, a foreign language (at times),artistic and creative activities.
ii. Primary or Grade school (Cole Primaire or Cole Elementaire)
- For 6-11 year olds. Has 5 classes;
1. Preparatory school (Cours preparatoire: CP).
2. Courts elemntaire 1 (CE 1) Elementary class
3. Cours elementaire 2 (CE 2)
4. Cours moyen 1 (CM 1).
5. Cours moyen 2 (CM 2). Middle class
The curriculum includes literacy and numeracy, French, arithmetic, history, Geography, arts, a foreign language (usually English). Classes run from Monday to Saturday, with Wednesday free, and average 28 hours of classes per week.
iii. Middle school (college)
For pupils aged 11- 15 years and has 4 levels, corresponding to grades 6 to 9, which include sixieme, cinquieme, quatrieme and troisieme.
- The backbone of the French school system is the ‘college unique’.
- Provides fundamental secondary education after which a certain degree of specialization will be introduced.
- Pupils are oriented either towards general classes (from which they will be expected to continue their education in a traditional lycee), or towards more technical classes (after which they will be expected to take an examination
called ‘brevet’).
- Pupils can then either stop their secondary education (if they have reached school leaving age), or continue in a
‘lycee professionel’ or vocational high school.
- Curriculum includes French, math, history, geography, technical education, art/music, physical education, civic education, some science and at least one foreign language.
iv. High school (Lycee)
- Covers the last 3 years of secondary education (Seconde, Premier, and Terminale).
- Are of two main types; the lycee general (lycee classique) and the lycee technique.
- Lycee prepares pupils to sit the baccalaureate (or bac) examination.
- The curriculum is the same as in college, with the addition of philosophy in the final year.
- Technical lycee (Lycee Technique)- there is specialization in a fairly narrow technical field, in addition to their general studies. The special fields include micro technologies or aeronautical.
- Lycee Professionnel (vocational high school or Lycees pros)- provide non-academic syllabus and prepares
students for manual or clerical jobs.
- Pupils work toward;
1. Baccalaureate professional (bac pro) - for which they continue taking classes in the main academic subjects, namely, French, math and a foreign language.
2. A BEP ( Brevet d’enseignment professionel).
3. A CAP ( Certificate d’aptitude professionnel).
- Specific examples of Lycee pro (found in most cities) include;
1. Lycee du batiment (building trades lycee)- leads to specialization in the building and construction sector.
2. Lycees agricoles- agricultural schools. Prepare future farmers and gardeners.
3. Lycees horticoles- horticultural schools.
v. Higher education.
- ‘Grandes Ecoles’ are highly selective ‘schools’ that provide higher education to the nation’s future elites tomorrow’s civil servants, leaders of industries, top military brass, top politicians, engineers, phycists, e.t.c. they are well-funded, have small classes and top teaching staff.
- There are about 100 universities in France which are comparatively underfunded.
- The universities are very productive despite the low funding.
- Tuition fee is levied in the universities; but students are eligible for subsidized student restaurants, basic but very cheap student residents, bus passes and discounts in many places.
- There are 82 state universities, 5 Catholic ones and a large number of private ‘institutes’; some of which award degrees.
III. Administration and Financing
Over 80% of the schools are public/state schools while almost 20% are private schools.
About 90% of the private schools are Catholic schools having religious instruction in the curriculum; they select their own teachers, but must follow the same curriculum as state schools to maintain the contract (ecoles sous contract) to the state education system and the state to pay the teachers.
- The private schools, therefore, just charge symbolic or low fees and are accessible to pupils from all social classes of the society.
- There are a few fee-paying boarding in France (similar to English ‘public schools’).
- The education system follows the principle of secularism (la laicite) with no formal teaching of religion, but there are calls to teach religious awareness to help develop understanding between people of different religions, especially with regard to the Islamic minority.
- Religious education can take place after hours, though, for pupils who wish.
- School chaplains (Aumoniers) are officially appointed by the ‘recteur’ (Chairperson) of the ‘academie’ (Local Education Authority).
- The baccalaureate is a unitary examination (pupils pass or fail) and only the final weighted average counts, i.e., at least 10/20 for a pass.
- The examination board’s decision is final for those with below 10/20.
- Resits are organized for those between 8 and 10 while those with less than 8/20 retake their year.
- The general Baccalaureate is in 3 series;
1. The ‘L’ series (literacy studies).
2. The ‘Es’ series (economic et social studies).
3. The ‘S’ series (Sciences).
Titany answered the question on August 10, 2021 at 10:03