The college certificate will ultimately not be compulsory for entry into second year, announces the Ministry of National Education

Elisabeth Borne reversed the decision of her predecessor Anne Genetet, announced last year.

Obtaining the certificate in third grade will ultimately not be compulsory to progress to second grade, contrary to what the previous government announced for 2027, the Ministry of Education announced on Friday January 17 during a press briefing.

“The certificate will not be made compulsory to access the second class”announced the ministry. Minister Elisabeth Borne “came back” on this measure, which was announced in November by his predecessor Anne Genetet for June 2027, we added during a briefing on the distribution by academy of positions in public education at the start of the 2025 school year. “Elisabeth Borne wants to trust teachers and class councils. When a class council at the end of third grade considers that a student is likely to move up to second grade, that student moves to second grade”it was clarified.

Anne Genetet announced in November that she wanted to continue the measures of “clash of knowledge” launched by Gabriel Attal in December 2023 to “remain demanding at school”. In particular, she wanted to make the certificate compulsory for entry into second year from the June 2027 session. This decision had been strongly criticized by the teaching unions, who see it as a means of “tri social”.

Elisabeth Borne has also “decided to put in place new support systems which are intended to support students whose class councils have decided to move to second grade and who have not necessarily passed the certificate”it was clarified. These devices are “currently under study” and the ministry is working on “several hypotheses”.