Minister defends Parcoursup platform

Edouard Geffray, the Minister of National Education, confirmed on Wednesday, October 14, during an interview with BFMTV-RMC, that improvements to the Parcoursup platform, a digital tool used for higher education admissions in France, will be proposed by his colleague Philippe Baptiste, the minister in charge of Higher Education, by the end of October.

Reforms under consideration

The Prime Minister has tasked Baptiste with proposing a range of improvements, reflections, and reforms to the platform. Geffray emphasized that all potential changes are being considered, including "adjustments, possibly substantial," but he ruled out the complete elimination of Parcoursup.

No abolition of Parcoursup

Geffray explicitly denied any possibility of abolishing the platform, stating, "I don't know what would be put in its place if it were abolished." He also clarified that he is not considering changes to the baccalaureate, the French high school diploma, six months before a presidential election, saying, "I will not change the baccalaureate six months before a presidential election; we need to stop reforming constantly."

Focus on platform's objectives

According to Geffray, the main goal of Parcoursup is to allow students to pursue higher education in places that match their abilities and preferences while promoting social and geographical diversity. He noted that the platform has already achieved a level of mixity that had not been seen before.

Public feedback on platform

The minister mentioned that less than 20% of the 90,000 contributions received by the government through a dedicated complaints platform relate to Parcoursup. He also closed the door on reforming the baccalaureate, stating that students should not lose the opportunity to choose their educational path due to organizational issues.

No immediate reforms on school schedules

Regarding school schedules and replacements, Geffray said that after a year in office, results are beginning to emerge. He indicated that he would investigate the issue to allow the next minister to make decisions but emphasized that he would not announce a reform now, as it could be undone in six months. "I will not touch it now; that would be madness," he concluded.