Groups of needs, patent, early math test: new measures for colleges and high schools

On November 12, the Minister of National Education presented the priorities for the 2^e Act of the “Knowledge Shock” scheme initiated by the former Prime Minister in 2024. The announcement followed the publication of the results of the 2024 national assessments at the college, which pointed to a class “drop” of 4^e.

Refoundation of school curricula in selected subjects in 2025

A complete overhaul of the programs is planned:

• in French and mathematics, from kindergarten to class 3^e ;
• in modern languages, de la 6^e to the senior year.

Labeling of manuals

Publicly-labeled and publicly-funded textbooks will be made available to students in the “Priority Education Network” (REP and REP+) areas and in rural areas.

Needs groups and "Homework done" for students in difficulty

The needs groups in French and mathematics established in 2024 will be maintained in 2025 in 6^e and in 5^e. They will also be extended to classes of 4^e and 3^e back to school 2025, alternating one hour of French and mathematics each week.

In 2025, a weekly hour of “Homework Done” will be implemented for 800,000 students in 4^e and 3^e.

The Minister also announced that 22,000 successful internships will be offered during the holidays.

The return of mathematics to the baccalaureate

From June 2026, all pupils of 1^re take an early math test to enhance the common foundation in math and science.

The National Patent Diploma (DNB)

From the 2027 session, the certificate will become “a mandatory first step to entering high school”, with a new split between continuous supervision (40%) and final exams (60%).

Increased sports hours for REP and REP+ classes

The experiment of an additional 2 hours of sport per week at the college has ended. More than 700 institutions participated. As its implementation is considered too complex in general, this new provision of an additional 2 hours of sport in college now only concerns colleges classified as REP and REP+.