Title: The baccalaureate reforms the calendar of specialty tests from 2024
Introduction :
In a new announcement from the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal, the baccalaureate specialty exams will now take place in June from the 2023-2024 school year. This decision goes against the reform of Jean-Michel Blanquer, who moved these tests to the month of March. Let’s explore the reasons behind this change and the reactions it provokes in the world of education.
Specialty tests in June:
Emmanuel Macron had already hinted in a recent interview that the baccalaureate exams could not be held “so early in the year”. Thus, the government made a decision and decided to postpone the specialty tests from March to June. This decision comes following criticism and demands from the educational community, which denounced a schedule that was too early, leading to absenteeism and demotivation among students.
A return to basics:
With this change in the calendar, the government is taking a step towards teachers and school heads, with whom relations had deteriorated since the baccalaureate reform initiated by Jean-Michel Blanquer. Indeed, the holding of the specialty tests in March had been strongly criticized, in particular because of the lack of time to prepare for these decisive tests for obtaining the diploma.
A pragmatic decision:
Gabriel Attal, the new Minister of National Education, stressed the need to be pragmatic and to take into account what works and what does not work in the baccalaureate reform. He also clarified that this modification of the calendar would not lead to major changes in the calendar of Parcoursup, the higher education admissions system.
Reactions and perspectives:
Initial reactions to this announcement are mixed. Some unions welcome this decision, calling it a victory for the education community and recognition of their demands. However, others point out that this measure does not solve all the problems related to the baccalaureate, in particular the question of continuous assessment and its impact on the teacher-student relationship.
Conclusion :
The change in the calendar of baccalaureate specialty exams, from March to June, is a pragmatic decision that responds to criticism and demands from the educational community. However, there are still challenges to improve the assessment system and ensure a healthy relationship between teachers and students