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OPINION - FRENCH SCHOOLS

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Why French schools are falling in global table

The eagerly awaited OECD global education rankings and report does not make easy reading for France, which dropped three places and was again pulled up for its increasing inequality. A French Sociologist professor tells The Local what’s going wrong.

Why French schools are falling in global table
Why is France slipping down the global education rankings and why is inequality increasing? Photo: Fred Duffour/AFP

It only took a matter of hours before the expected blame game began.

The publication of the latest OECD study into the performance of 15-year-olds, which is taken as a reference of the quality of a country’s education system, has been eagerly awaited in France.

In a country that holds its education system in high regard and has a much-admired global network of lycée schools the OECD’s 2012 Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) report has given cause for yet more soul searching. Education Minister Vincent Peillon called the OECD's end of year report on France “unacceptable”.

Although France, ranked 25th out of 65 countries, stands above the UK (26th) and the US (36th), the fact it has dropped three places overall and has seen the performance of its pupils in maths deteriorate over the last three years is no doubt cause for concern in Paris. So too is the widening equality gap between the performances of well-off French pupils and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, that the OECD drew particular attention to.

The opposition UMP party immediately blamed the socialists and the system. “The French system tries to treat all students the same way and this uniform system in secondary schools has harmed both those who need stimulating and those who need support,” said former UMP minister Laurent Wauqiez.

Naturally the Socialists hit back with former Socialist minister Jack Lang blasting the policies of the UMP when they were in power. “They abolished teacher training, increased the numbers of students per class, and took away thousands of teaching jobs. We are now paying the price.”

To shed a little light on what may be going wrong for the schools system in France The Local asked  French sociologist Professor and education expert Marie Duru-Bellat, a lecturer at Sciences-Po university in Paris to shed some light on the issues.

“In recent years in France reports like the OECD’s Pisa study have been greeted with scepticism and have not been taken seriously, whereas in other countries the findings have been used as the basis for reforms.

“We always think we have the best system because we think our curriculum is the most demanding. That is the broad view and it should be challenged. Other countries like our neighbours Germany and the Netherlands for example have a much more experimental approach towards education whereas France has maintained an ideological one.

“In the US for example there have been a lot of experiments and trials with various teaching methods aimed at helping the weakest pupils, but in France there is a real lack of research on education.

“The problem in France for a long time has been that the curriculum is elitist. This importance on elitism is deep-rooted in the French mind-set and in our history and it is very difficult to change.

“We have always been obsessed with the elite. We have our Grandes Écoles, which are unique to France, where the best students go to. This can change but it will be slow. Thanks to studies like Pisa we realize that other countries, who have a more effective system of education, do not have this culture of elitism.

“For the best pupils the French system is great. Our best students are as good as those in Korea or Finland (two countries at the top of the OECD rankings). But it is a problem for the weakest.

“French students have a lot of anxiety because they know that if they fail they will not be able to get access to a number of jobs. Having a degree is very important in our country.

“Some of the government reforms are going in the right direction for example the move to make teachers undergo specific teacher training. The government is also giving more money to primary schools than secondary level, which is important.

“The hardest thing, however, will be assessing the impact of these changes to see whether they have really had any benefit.”

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Three German cities ranked in the top 10 best places to live

Germany has scored three spots in the top 10 of a new survey of the best cities in the world to live in, with Munich picking up third place.

Three German cities ranked in the top 10 best places to live
Aerial view of Munich. Photo: Depositphotos/Dmitry Rukhlenko

The annual quality of living survey carried out by human resources consulting firm Mercer compares hundreds of cities around the world, ranking them on factors such as crime, education, healthcare, public services, recreation, housing and personal freedom.

SEE ALSO: Germany ranked fourth best company in the world

This year, Munich snagged a joint third position (along with Auckland and Vancouver), while Düsseldorf came sixth, followed by Frankfurt at number seven.

Vienna, in neighbouring Austria, topped the ranking for the 10th year running, closely followed by Zurich in second place.

Of the top 10 cities, European cities took eight of the spots. With Berlin in 13th place, Hamburg at 19 and Nuremberg at 23, Germany’s destinations scored highly in the top 25.

SEE ALSO: 10 facts you probably didn't know about Frankfurt (even if you live there)

Juliane Gruethner, mobility expert at Mercer, told The Local, that Germany was “definitely” a good choice for expats.

“We measure the quality of life in various cities based on the interests of expats,” she said. “From that perspective all the German cities score quite highly when it comes to the economic, social and cultural environment. The medical system in Germany is also very good.”

Gruethner added that the standard of housing in the three top German cities – Munich, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt – was deemed as very good.

She said Munich scored a slightly higher score due to having more “recreation opportunities” when it comes to nightlife and with an outdoor scene close by.

Germany’s international airports also helped push Germany's points up in the survey.

Gruethner added: “There’s pretty good infrastructure for employees in Germany.

“There’s also a lot of international schools.”

Although language is not a factor that it is measured in the ranking, it also plays a role for expats.“People usually speak English especially in the big cities so it’s easy to manoeuver, even if Germany might be perceived as a bit over administrative.”

Strong cultural scene

Munich, in the southern state of Bavaria, has a strong cultural scene and is known for having more of a community feel to it compared to other busy German cities, such as the capital Berlin.

Although prices are high for housing, lots of companies are based there, making it a good place for working.

It also holds the annual beer festival, Oktoberfest, which is loved and visited by tourists throughout the world.

Browse thousands of English-language jobs in Germany

“Düsseldorf diverse and welcoming'

Thomas Geisel, mayor of Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia, which ranked sixth in the list, described the city as “diverse and welcoming”.

He told Mercer: “Düsseldorf is a strong and innovative international business location, but at the same time, it’s a comfortable, friendly, tolerant and cosmopolitan city with a certain ease about it.”

Geisel said in the future he wants to see the city “continue to grow and expand its economic success in a socially balanced manner”.

He added that the basis for this is sustainable development policy “which includes affordable housing, attractive job perspectives, a better infrastructure and a continuously high quality of living”.

“Over time, the city will become even more international and attract talent from all over the world, and this will all be supported by a broad political consensus,” he added.

Frankfurt, in the state of Hesse, is renowned for being the financial capital of Germany but also plays host to a buzzing social scene, including lots of roof top bars.

The Mercer survey is conducted to inform companies on where best to expand offices or relocate staff.

Ilya Bonic, senior partner and president of Mercer’s career business said: “Companies looking to expand overseas have a host of considerations when identifying where best to locate staff and new offices.

“The key is relevant, reliable data and standardized measurement, which are essential for employers to make critical decisions, from deciding where to establish offices to determining how to distribute, house and remunerate their global workforces.”

Do you live in Munich, Düsseldorf or Frankfurt? Write to us and tell us what you think of them.

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