Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

EDUCATION

French pupils stage blockades to demand the cancellation of exams

High schoolers in France this week began several days of protest action against the French government's decision to maintain some of the baccalaureate end-of-the-year exams.

Published: 4 May 2021 12:24 CEST
French pupils stage blockades to demand the cancellation of exams
High school pupils and university students have organised several protest actions to draw attention to what the degrading situation for young people in France, due to the pandemic. Here under a protest in January, with banners reading "ghosts students", "I belong to a sacrificed generation" and "faculty closed, want to give up". Photo: Alain JOCARD / AFP

As French high schools (lycées) reopened on Monday after two weeks of rescheduled Easter holidays and two of remote learning, some pupils refused to re-enter the educational establishments.

Calling for the education ministry to cancel their final exams in June after a turbulent year due to the ongoing pandemic, teenagers pushed garbage cans and other objects in front of their schools to stage un blocus (a blockade) in protest.

The protest, labelled “BacNoir” (Black Bac), denounced Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer’s decision to maintain some of the baccalaureate exams, which the protesting pupils said would “increase inequalities” caused by the Covid-19 virus.

“We are demanding the total cancellation of exams for all high schoolers,” five high school unions said in a joint statement, published on Twitter, where they asked to instead only use continuous assessment (contrôles continus) where pupils are graded based on their assessed work over the year.

Eighty-two percent of this year’s baccalaureate has already been replaced by continued evaluations.

Some 100 high schools across France faced blockades in Monday’s protests, most of which passed off without clashes.

In Aubervilliers, north of Paris, a police source confirmed to French daily Le Parisien a report that there had been fireworks thrown at police on Monday morning, but said no one was injured in the incident.

Some schools continued the protests on Tuesday morning, but the big day – according to high school unions – will be Wednesday, May 5th, when they are calling for a national day of blockades.

“For 14 months now, we have been studying in terrible conditions, with long distance learning, cancelling of classes and a lack of teachers,” the unions’ statement said.

It added that pupils were “anxious and vulnerable, and yet they are forced to come in thousands to take their exams inside the establishments.”

Blanquer on Monday said he was “open” to making changes to the exam period, but said he remained convinced that maintaining some tests would be in the pupils’ best interest.

“We will reevaluate again so that this becomes the best possible options for the pupils,” Blanquer told Europe 1.

The government used continued evaluations last year when schools closed for months in spring as part of the first nationwide lockdown set up to halt the spread of Covid-19. During the second and third lockdowns schools largely remained open, with a rescheduled Easter holiday and two weeks of remote learning for older pupils.

Lycées have also been authorised to operate up to 50 percent of remote learning in areas with high infection rates.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

EDUCATION

What changes for students at French universities in 2023

Re-evaluation of financial aid, a freeze on tuition fees, housing assistance... everything you need to know if you're starting at a French university in 2023.

Published: 21 September 2023 13:59 CEST
What changes for students at French universities in 2023

The new academic year has just started in France, and thousands of students are heading back to university – or starting out on their studies, after passing their bac in the summer.

Meanwhile, the next set of bac students are gearing up for their big educational year, and starting to wonder about the mysteries of the French university application system Parcoursup – while parents are concerned about finances, and making sure their children have decent lodgings.

There’s far too much emotional, practical and financial baggage to unpack in that last paragraph for a simple article. But, here are a few things that it’s worth knowing – from how much you’ll have to pay in tuition fees, to how to get grants.

This article mainly concerns students who have been living in France as the situation is often different for overseas students – and in this instance that means students travelling from overseas for university, if your children are joining from a French school they count as home students, even if they don’t have French nationality.

Fees

The freeze on university tuition fees has been extended for the fifth year in a row at €170 per year for bachelor degrees and €243 for masters diplomas. 

Non-scholarship students are also required to pay an annual €100 Contribution vie étudiante et de campus (CVEC) to improve living conditions on campus.

Fees for overseas students are calculated differently and can run into several thousand euro. 

Housing

Students looking for accommodation at university are advised to go to the Caisse d’allocations familiales (Caf) website for help and advice.

Be aware that this housing assistance could result in a significant decrease in the amount of family allowance available to the families of students at university. It is, however, worth consulting Caf.

Grants

Grants (bourses) are available to help students with the cost of university life – if you’re resident in France this is dependent on your income (or the income of your parents if you’re just finishing school). Being a boursier (person in receipt of a grant, also qualifies you for some extra discounts such as reduced-price meals.

The means-tested grants vary according t your financial situation, but the basic rate has increased by €37 per month for 2023, while boursiers studying at establishments in French overseas territories will receive an additional €30 per month on top of the €37 increase.

Students with disabilities and student carers benefit from additional help to gain access to grants based on social criteria. 

This simulator will help you start the process of applying for a university grant by calculating whether you will be eligible for one.

Meals

Restaurants operated by the Centres régionaux des œuvres universitaires et scolaires (Crous) – which also offers accommodation services – offer three-course meals for €3.30 in the university canteen, further reduced to €1 for boursiers and students in certain financial situations. 

Special requirements

Students with particular needs (high-level athletes, artists, students with disabilities, employed students, students with families, etc) can benefit from adaptations and arrangements to facilitate their studies.

Health insurance

French students – including all non-French students who have gone through the French education system through collège and lycée and who are registered in the social security system – are not expected to pay social security contributions to access healthcare services.

However, overseas students in France or French students at university abroad may need to pay. Students from the UK can access the S1 form, which allows them to use the French state-funded healthcare system and have their costs reimbursed by the UK. 

Gap years

Students wishing to take a break for a year can ask their university to suspend their studies for up to two consecutive semesters.

Erasmus

Students in a higher education establishment can follow part of their studies in another European country via the Erasmus + programme. This is intended for students wishing to follow a higher education course abroad as part of an exchange programme, or to carry out an international internship.

Masters degree applications

The process for entering the first year of a Master’s degree changed back in February 2023, with applications for the first year of a Master’s degree now submitted on the Mon Master platform. 

The French government’s Back to School Guide (in French) presents the various measures put in place to improve the daily lives of students.

It’s also worth looking at the government’s My Student Services website, which has an English-language version. It offers all sorts of information about university life, finances and housing options.

SHOW COMMENTS