France - University strikes

Students' union says end-of-year exams will take place

Article published on the 2009-04-18 Latest update 2009-04-18 19:34 TU

Poster at University Paris VIII announcing the "strike schedule"
(Photo: Jonathan Lorrillard)

The head of France's main student union, Jean-Baptiste Prévost, said on Saturday that end-of-year exams are not in danger in the country's universities. Opposition to planned government reform of the third-level sector has left many French universities in disarray since strikes were launched last February.

The situation varies across the country as some of the 83 French universities, such as Paris IV or Rennes II, have had almost no classes in ten weeks while others have been barely affected.

Prévost said he believed administration and students would not endanger the students' exams, although he admitted that many of the students were worried. Arrangements are being made to reschedule exams and adapt certain course material, Prévost said.

He rejected the suggestion of a blanket validation of the second semester that would award an automatic "pass" to all students - saying it risked devaluing university degrees on the employment market.

The Union has criticised French Minister for Education Valérie Pécresse for focussing on the question of exams, alleging that she's attempting to make people panic.

The question of exams was raised at the end of a bad week for French third-level education after a delayed train left anything between 10 and sixty students locked out of this year's state Agrégation exam in History.

The students had travelled to the Paris suburbs to sit the highest French exam-based qualification but found the door locked when they arrived at 9.01 am. France's Association of History & Geography teachers has called for a special extra sitting for the students.

Also earlier in the week, several French universities denied allegations of "degrees for sale" after French police opened investigations into allegations of degree-selling at the University of Sud-Toulon-Var. State prosecutor in Marseilles, Jacques Dallest, said four to five other French universities may be guilty of similar practices.

On France 24 TV  Suspiction of mass fraud rock French universities