Vincent Peillon, while visiting Nice, gathered socialist activists, many of whom are professionally involved, to talk about “school”.
He is predicted to be the future Minister of National Education if François Hollande wins the presidential election but more importantly, if the socialist lists and their allies win the following legislative elections. He showed a clear understanding of the subject.
Furthermore, isn’t he a former philosophy teacher?
Here are the main points indicating a radical change from the current government policies focused on cost rationalization and a preference for the ‘individual’ option rather than ‘collective’.
- 60,000 additional positions with pre-recruitment of teachers before the end of their studies along with training worthy of its name.
- Enrollment in kindergarten for all children under three years old with the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and a common core of skills and knowledge.
Priority allocation of new personnel in kindergartens as that’s where academic failure begins, as well as in troubled areas.
Revision of school rhythms, which have no equivalent in Europe.
Reform of the first cycles of higher education by removing barriers between fields to avoid too early specialization.
Reform of the LRU law to ensure real autonomy of institutions with more collegial and democratic governance.
Regulation of internships to prevent abuses.
Promotion of exchanges between French and foreign universities and repeal of the directive on foreign students.
But all this is unsurprising and represents the classic right/left, individual/society divide found in the projects of both presidential candidates and in the different philosophical conceptualizations each supports.
Voters will decide whether we have encountered the future Minister of National Education or merely a visionary with well-established ideas.
