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After the Brevet
The French upper secondary school system includes several tracks that
prepare students to enter the university or to earn various vocational
certificates in specific occupations or occupational areas. Whichever upper
secondary track students pursue, they continue to study academic subjects;
those who pursue vocational certificates spend half their time in academic
courses and must pass academic exams to earn the certificates.
How is it determined which lycee (upper secondary school) a student will
attend? Once again, a committee at the college recommends which lycee
pathway a student should pursue, and once again, the recommendation is
generally accepted. (The committee makes its decision before brevet exam
scores are available, so it evaluates the student's academic ability
entirely on the basis of coursework and teacher recommendations). Sixty-two
percent of 9th graders enter the lycee d'enseignement general et
technologique, (which we will refer to as the comprehensive lycee).
Thirty-two percent will enter the lycee professionnel (the vocational
lycee) to work towards various vocational qualifications. The remainder
will exit school and enter the workforce.
The Comprehensive Lycee
If they wish to enter the university, French students must earn the
baccalaureat, France's renowned secondary school diploma, by passing
challenging national examinations at the end of 12th grade. The
comprehensive lycee prepares students for either the general baccalaureat,
based on a traditional academic curriculum, or the baccalaureat
technologique (BTn), which requires coursework both in core academic
subjects and in a technical concentration such as engineering. (A handful
of comprehensive lycee students will prepare for a non-baccalaureat
technical degree, the brevet de technician) Nearly all general baccalaureat
holders will go on to the university, as will most who earn the BTn.
However, a minority of BTn holders will enter the workforce. In 1994, 36
percent of the age cohort earned the general bac, and 15.9 percent earned
the BTn.
The comprehensive lycee lasts three years-grades seconde, premiere, and
terminale-the U.S. equivalent of 10th through 12th grade. In seconde, all
students take nationally prescribed coursework in each of the core academic
subjects: French, foreign language, history and geography, mathematics,
natural sciences, physics, and sports. In addition, students must choose
two elective courses in academic or technical subjects according to what
bac they will take. The workload is heavy and not everyone moves
immediately to the next grade. 15 percent repeat the first year and 5
percent exit the lycee and enter the workforce or begin apprenticeships.
After the first year (i.e., after the equivalent of 10th grade), students
enter the curricular track that will prepare them for the particular bac
they will sit for at the end of the third year. There they will take
courses relevant to their area of concentration. In addition, all students
take courses in core subjects such as French, history/geography and a
foreign language, though the time spent in these subjects will be less for
students in the technical stream. Thus the baccalaureat program provides
students a broad general education while requiring in-depth knowledge of a
particular subject area.
Students who earn any form of the baccalaureat are entitled, at least in
theory, to attend all higher education institutions, though many
universities have established additional entrance requirements in recent
years. In addition, students will generally enter degree programs that
match their baccalaureat concentration; BTn holders, for example, will
enter technical colleges or technical programs at a university.
The Lycee Professionnel
Students in the lycee professionnel will spend two years preparing to earn
either the Brevet d'Enseignement Professionnel (BEP), which is a general
vocational certificate, or a Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnele (CAP), a
more specialized qualification for training in a particular trade. Many
students will pursue and earn both degrees simultaneously. Given that
France has a serious youth unemployment problem, having a BEP or a CAP does
not guarantee employment after graduation. However, students who exit
school without at least one of these diplomas will have a very hard time
finding a job. About one-third of the age cohort earns either a BEP or a
CAP.
Students studying for a BEP learn general vocational skill, rather than
train for a specific job. Students spend about half their time taking
classes in broad occupational fields such as electronics, hospitality, or
travel and tourism and the remainder of their time in academic subjects
including French, math, history/geography, physics, arts, and sports. At
the completion of the program, students sit for exams in these subjects to
earn the diploma.
Students who earn a CAP receive certification in a specific occupation,
such as mechanic, jeweler, or hairdresser. Like the BEP, the CAP curriculum
is divided roughly equally between vocational courses and general
academics. Some students spend part of their time outside of school in
apprenticeships, where they complete the vocational component of the
degree. Students also must pass an exam that consists of two parts: a
practical exam covering skills in the student's chosen occupation and a
written exam on academic subjects.
After completing the final year of a BEP or a CAP program, roughly 45
percent of lycee professionnel students enter the workforce. However, a
significant number (17 percent) will reenter the academic track; they will
enroll in a one-year transition course at the comprehensive lycee and then
pursue a BTn. In addition, approximately 38 percent will seek a third type
of baccalaureat diploma, the baccalaureat professionnel, which requires an
additional two years of study at the vocational lycee, and is designed to
provide students with additional training before entering the workforce.
In 1994, 7 percent of the age cohort earned the bac professionnel. As they
did for the BEP or the CAP, students preparing for the bac pro spend half
of their time in vocational or technical training in any of thirty-eight
specializations and the remainder in academic subjects, including French, a
foreign language, history/geography/civics, art and music, and physical
education. The vocational training includes several weeks of on-the-job
training with a firm. While the bac pro is designed to prepare students for
immediate entry into the labor force, those who earn it may continue their
studies for two more years and obtain various vocational certificates at
the higher education level.
To summarize., approximately 80 percent of French students leave school
with some type of upper secondary school certificate. Of these, 59 percent
of the age cohort earns one of three baccalaureat, (academic,
technological, or vocational). Up to 20 percent earned a BEP or CAP only,
without continuing on to prepare for a BTn or bac pro. In addition, about
10 percent of students will prepare for a baccalaureat, BEP, or CAP but
will fail to earn the degree.
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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* UniQWK #5290* A good deed never goes unpunished (Gore Vidal).
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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