Ifop conducted a survey on behalf of the Fondation pour l’école, providing a snapshot of French people’s expectations of the education system.
A strong desire for diversification and freedom of choice
The first striking change: 64% of French people believe that a diversification of school types – different pedagogies and educational styles – would help to reduce school failure.
82% of French people consider that today, only well-off families have the effective possibility of choosing the school their child will attend. What’s more, almost two-thirds of French people (66%) would like to see the government set up a system enabling every family to finance their children’s schooling, regardless of the school they choose (school vouchers, education vouchers, tax credits).
A plebiscite in favor of more autonomous school governance
84% of the French are in favor of principals having greater powers in terms of discipline, pedagogical organization and management of the teaching team. Just as many (84%) support the idea of principals recruiting their team of teachers around a shared educational project.
46% of French people would entrust this task to an independent agency bringing together the various players in the education sector, while 43% would leave it to the Ministry of Education. Only 11% of French people find the current system, based on word-of-mouth and a few media, acceptable.
Parents expect an educational alliance
The relationship between schools and families is a third area of focus. In the general population, a third of French people (33%) say they are satisfied with the quality of communication between school and parents, 32% are dissatisfied, and 35% have no opinion.
77% of French people, and up to 90% of parents of school-going children, say they are in favor of increased communication between schools and parents to reinforce the authority of educational players and improve children’s learning.
Artificial intelligence: a major concern
66% of French people anticipate a negative impact from artificial intelligence, half of them a very negative impact (33%), while only 18% expect a positive effect. Parents of schoolchildren are more nuanced, but still hold a majority of negative opinions (56% versus 31% positive). The divide between types of school is striking here: among parents of public school pupils, positive opinions reached 35%, compared with only 21% among those of private school pupils, 69% of whom expressed concern. It should be noted that parents of high school students, who are most directly confronted with the daily use of AI in homework, are the most positive (37%).
A demand for equal treatment of all students
76% of French people say they are in favor of schooling assistance schemes – school transport, Pass Culture, scholarships based on social criteria – being available regardless of the school attended (public, private under contract or out of contract).
Similarly, 84% of French people say they are in favor of disabled pupils attending private schools without a contract, due to a lack of places in public schools, being able to benefit from state funding for an AESH.
