The Ministry's headquarters is located in the 18th century Hôtel de Rochechouart on the rue de Grenelle in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. National Education is France's largest employer, and employs more than half of the French state civil servants. Once accepted as a teacher, they have a job for life. There is a national curriculum and some national tests.We learned some interesting facts about French Education. Until 2011, all students were given tests in primary school. The tests were given up because "they were thought not reliable enough." We heard a lot about "freedom of teaching." France is working on the recruitment and training of French teachers and increasing the entrance and training requirements, including requiring a master's degree.
The speakers summarized the following challenges and how the ministry is responding:
* Fighting against the school drop out
* Fighting against discrimination and social inequalities
* Modernizing the vocational training
* Engaging school in the digital era
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| Ministry Building |
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| Officials |
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| Meeting room - with simultaneous translation. This is the room where the Minister of Education meets with the 30 Rectors that govern regions of French schools. |
