Report from the High Commission for Strategy and Planning: eleven recommendations to improve educational success in France

Treat teachers better to promote the success of their students. Here, in a few words, is a very summary of the report from the High Commission for Strategy and Plan on academic success. Through eleven recommendations, this working group bringing together “qualified personalities and services from the Ministry of National Education” provides its advice to make France a European “good student” in terms of academic results. Without revolution and with levers already advanced, the institution is putting forward its solutions to improve “the disappointing results of our students”. At the start of the school year, here is a summary.

More pay and different training

The High Commission for Strategy and Planning proposes “raising teacher salaries”, particularly “for missions and assignments where the shortages are the most glaring”. A proposal aimed at making the profession more attractive. The training also needs to be reviewed. The experts propose “refocusing teacher training, both initial and ongoing, on the observation of classroom practice and the implementation of educational approaches. » Less theory and more practice in short. Trainers should also be more present in class to observe students in real conditions, particularly “during their first years of practice”. Without “inspecting” but rather to accompany.

Four and a half days “at least”

The last of the High Commission's recommendations is clear. Bye bye the four-day week. “In the first level, we must aim to organize course weeks on the basis of a minimum of four and a half days,” argue the experts, believing that we must prioritize respecting “the physiological needs of children and adolescents” and in particular “the balance between sleep, physical activity, intellectual stimulation, moments of play and calm.”

Less busy classes

Beyond salary, experts also call for a reduction in class numbers, taking advantage of demographic prospects. In primary education, numbers fell by 9% between 2015 and 2025 and are expected to further decline by 15% between 2025 and 2030.

The recommendation is to “aim for an average size comparable to that of our neighbors, while concentrating this effort on the groups most in difficulty”. Except that academies tend to close classes.

Evaluate textbooks

Judging that school textbooks are “of variable quality” while they “dictate to a large extent the practices of teachers”, the High Commission wants to evaluate these books. In France, there is no measure to certify the quality of works. Taking the example of Portugal or Japan, experts believe that we need to better control these manuals to assess their quality.

Specialize teachers?

The most “sensitive” recommendation is undoubtedly that concerning school teachers. Rather than maintaining great versatility among teachers, the High Commission would like to “experiment with forms of specialization” in particular through certifications that could “evolve over the course of their careers”. In a more general context, an increase in science teaching is also called for.