Another facelift in sight for the yet young reform of the baccalaureate. “I asked for adjustments so that from the next school year, the new bac corresponds more to our needs”, announced Emmanuel Macron on Monday, during his trip to Marseille. A decision which is explained by the disorganization of the end of the final year in many high schools, of which the principals and the teachers complained. Because this year was the first time that the specialty tests (the two major subjects, which together account for a third of the results of the baccalaureate) took place in March. Last year, they were postponed to May due to Covid-19.
This new deal has completely changed the face of the senior year. The marks for these tests having been announced in April, the pupils were able to calculate approximately their final average for the baccalaureate, since they also knew most of their continuous assessment marks*. “They knew about 80% of their final grade. So even without having passed the philosophy and the great oral, some were for example sure to get the mention bien ”, explains Jean-Remi Girard, national president of the National Syndicate of high schools and colleges. In addition, some high school students knew their post-baccalaureate assignment early, because Parcoursup has been delivering its answers to the wishes of future students since June 1.
“We see a lot of anger among philosophy teachers”
Consequences: many high school students have released the pressure and abandoned the classrooms in the spring. “Teachers noted a very significant increase in absenteeism from April, even more in the technological sector”, observes Jean-Remi Girard. “That there is more continuous control is rather a good thing, but that the school year ends so early on certain tests is rather a problem”, conceded Emmanuel Macron.
Another effect: the test of philosophy, dreaded before the reform of the tray, was approached with less seriousness by many candidates. “We see a lot of anger among philosophy teachers, who see some candidates leave the test after 1 or 2 hours and do not compose seriously. Even more for candidates for the technological baccalaureate, philosophy having for them a coefficient of 4 out of a total of 100”, observes Jean-Remi Girard. Same observation for the great oral, where some candidates do not always give the maximum.
The conclusions of a report on the subject in September
It is therefore impossible for the government to maintain the status quo. This Wednesday, the bac reform monitoring committee submitted its proposals to the Minister of Education, Pap Ndiaye. The latter has also commissioned a report on the subject from a former rector, William Marois, which will be returned to him in September.
Among the ideas on the table to reorganize the final year: a rebalancing of the coefficients, by reducing those of the specialty tests and increasing those of philosophy and the great oral. A suggestion that does not convince Jean-Remi Girard: “It is not by raising the coefficient of philosophy and oral presentation a little that we will motivate students more to come to class. And this hypothesis presupposes the devaluation of other materials in exchange”. Catherine Nave-Bekhti, secretary general of the SGEN-CFDT, is not thrilled either: “It would reinforce the weight of tests that are not specific to the high school course, which goes against the spirit of reform. »
The specialty tests in June? Not everyone is for
Another track: move the two specialty events to June. An idea that bristles Guillaume Gellé, president of France University: “We think it would be a very bad answer. Because those responsible for higher education could no longer take into account the specialty notes as part of the Parcoursup procedure. However, they have the advantage of putting high school students on an equal footing thanks to the national dimension of the tests. And it is a way of anonymizing the school of origin in the assignment procedure”. To motivate students to go to class, he pleads instead for the organization of another oral at the end of the year, in order to validate the knowledge of the 3rd quarter. Catherine Nave-Bekhti even believes that moving the specialties to June would amount to a step back: “On Parcoursup, we would only take into account the grades for the year, as was already the case before the reform, abounds. -She. It would be a way of weakening the ferry”.
But according to Jean-Remi Girard, staggering the specialty tests would be the best solution: “Apart from keeping students in class until the end of the year, this would give teachers more air to tackle the whole program. , work on the methodology and pass mock tests. Four final tests, it would be quite bearable for the students, ”he underlines. On France 2, last Thursday, the Minister of Education also mentioned an “English” idea: “Condition Parcoursup admission to regular and diligent work in the 3rd quarter. »
The worst, according to Jean-Remi Girard, would be for the ministry to opt for cosmetic changes. “And this so that the designers of the reform do not feel called into question”. Catherine Nave-Bekhti, she fears the announcement of a reorganization in September for an application from the 2023-2024 school year: “Teachers prepare their lessons during the summer holidays taking into account the calendar of tests. If they were faced with a fait accompli at the start of the school year, they would have to rethink everything. »