A reform of the reform? Announced at the turn of a political interview. In form, the Blanquer method seems proven. On the merits, the Minister of Education hinted on Sunday that it would be necessary “probably” bring mathematics back into the common core of the first and last year. Objective: that “all students” have more “mathematical culture”.
Since the high school reform, which put an end to the traditional series (L, ES and S) in 2019, maths is taught outside the common core. They are no longer compulsory from the first, and can be followed as a specialty (three in number in first, two in terminal) or with the option “complementary mathematics” in terminal.
The high school reform led by Jean-Michel Blanquer has caused a very sharp drop in teaching in mathematics. The number of hours practiced fell by nearly 20%, one of the largest decreases of all disciplines, with technology. A decrease due to the exit of the subject from the common core of education. Can only be chosen as a specialty, with a high level of requirement (program and number of hours per week comparable to those of the old S course), it has put off many students. Between first and final, math is abandoned by a record number of students.
“I’m not saying it’s a non-issue”
Result: arrived in the last year of high school, at least 41% of students no longer do mathematics at all, according to the latest figures from the ministry. In addition, again according to data collected by national education, the more a student’s social origin is favoured, the more likely he is to do math. And girls are more likely to have abandoned discipline than boys.
The Minister of National Education was questioned, on CNews, on the alarm signals raised by teachers, who are alarmed by this drop in the number of young people in first and final year who follow this subject, in particular among girls. . “I’m not saying it’s a non-issue. It’s a serious subject, and I’m very open to suggestions for improvement.” said the minister. “We put in the common core of first and final year a two-hour scientific education” weekly. “It probably needs to evolve so that there is more mathematics within it, for the mathematical culture of all the students”, he added.