School calendar as campaign topic

The school calendar may become a key issue in the 2027 French presidential campaign, according to recent reports. This potential focus comes from proposals by Edouard Philippe, a presidential candidate, who has raised the topic during a digital meeting on education.

Reorganization of school time

During the meeting, Edouard Philippe, a former Prime Minister, defended a major reorganization of how much time children spend at school. He criticized the current French model, which he says focuses too many teaching hours on a limited number of days, followed by long vacation periods.

Concentrating learning in the morning

Philippe proposed concentrating learning in the morning, suggesting that school lessons be more focused during this time. Afternoons could then be used for sports, cultural activities, and in high school, for language learning and exploring foreign cultures.

Changing the school calendar

Philippe’s plan would involve revising the school calendar, potentially shortening autumn and Easter holidays. He argues that fewer teaching hours during the week could be balanced by reducing the length of these holidays, though he acknowledges this is a sensitive issue.

Support for high school students

In addition to the calendar, Philippe wants to improve support for high school students, particularly in choosing their future studies. He criticized the current system, which he says does not provide enough help for students in making informed decisions about their education paths.

Improving the Parcoursup platform

Philippe also addressed the Parcoursup platform, launched in 2018 during his time as Prime Minister. He believes the platform needs significant improvements to better support students in their educational choices, suggesting that teachers alone may not be the best people to guide them through this process.