As the end of the school year approaches, some voices are calling for external certifying assessments not to be held. Education Minister Valérie Glatigny wishes to recall why maintaining them is essential, above all for pupils, and particularly for those facing the greatest difficulties in their schooling.
First of all, a distinction must be made between two realities. On one hand, internal exams, which fall under the autonomy of schools and their study regulations. Each school decides how to organise them according to its educational approach. On the other hand, external certifying assessments: the CEB (6th year of primary school), the CE1D (2nd year of secondary school) and the CESS (6th year of secondary school), which are provided for by law and organised according to a common framework for all pupils.
These external assessments will indeed be maintained. They are based on identical question papers for everyone, already printed and ready for distribution, administered according to a timetable known well in advance, and marked using harmonised grading grids. The entire organisation has been finalised for several months.
But beyond the practical and legal aspects, it is above all important to recall the fundamental role of these tests. They enable pupils to obtain a diploma that officially certifies mastery of the skills expected at key stages of schooling. They also give pupils the chance to showcase the work accomplished throughout the year with their teachers.
These assessments were specifically designed to guarantee equal treatment for all pupils. Refusing to organise them or refusing to release the results would not penalise those in political office. It would above all penalise the young people who have prepared for these tests and who need their achievements to be recognised fairly.
This issue is particularly important for the most vulnerable pupils. The CEB, for example, is not only used to award a certificate. It also helps identify pupils' support needs as they enter secondary school. When a pupil struggles with one or more tests, this opens up access to enhanced support in the first year of secondary school to help overcome these difficulties. This information is valuable for building tailored support and giving every pupil the best chances of success.
It should also be recalled that the legal framework already provides all the flexibility needed to take particular situations into account. The school board, which remains sovereign, may award a certificate based on the pupil's educational file, even in the event of failure in some or all of the external tests. Report cards, assessments carried out during the year and the pupil's entire schooling are then taken into consideration.
Likewise, if a pupil was unable to sit a test for a justified external reason, the class council retains the ability to assess mastery of the relevant skills based on the pupil's educational file. The legislator has therefore put mechanisms in place to ensure that no pupil is unfairly penalised by exceptional circumstances.
The Education Minister has full confidence in the professionalism and commitment of school leadership teams, who are working to organise this end of the school year under the best possible conditions. She also wishes to thank the teachers who, throughout the country, continue to ensure continuity of learning and prepare their pupils for the end-of-year deadlines. Indeed, many schools are continuing to operate normally and are actively preparing for the exams.
During this period, the collective responsibility is to keep sight of what matters most: the interests of pupils. Maintaining certifying assessments means guaranteeing recognition of pupils' achievements, preserving equal treatment for all, and providing those who need it with the means for enhanced support throughout the rest of their schooling.