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🇫🇷 France /Culture & Society

Affective Education Sees Massive Uptake in French Primary Schools, Lags in Secondary

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • France's Education Minister Édouard Geffray reported that 75% of primary school students received at least one session on affective and sexual education this year, a significant increase from 15% in 2022.
  • Adoption rates are considerably lower in middle and high schools, with only about a quarter of middle schoolers and 15% of high schoolers receiving all three required sessions.
  • The minister cited challenges in discussing these topics with adolescents and a lack of teacher training as reasons for the lower secondary school engagement, promising more training initiatives.

France has seen a substantial increase in affective and sexual education in primary schools, with 75% of students benefiting from at least one session this year, up from just 15% in 2022. Education Minister Édouard Geffray described this as a "massive appropriation" of the program.

The appropriation phenomenon is massive in kindergarten and elementary school, with 95% of students having had at least one session and 63% three sessions.

— Édouard GeffrayThe French Minister of Education highlighting the success of affective and sexual education in primary schools.

However, the adoption of the "Éducation à la vie affective et à la sexualité" (EVARS) program faces significant hurdles in secondary education. Geffray noted that only about one in four middle school students and a mere 15% of high school students have received all three of their annual sessions.

In contrast, in secondary education, the adoption rates are much lower: barely one in four middle schoolers has had their three sessions and, in high school, the rate drops to 15%.

— Édouard GeffrayThe Minister of Education detailing the lower engagement with the program in middle and high schools.

"In contrast, in secondary education, the adoption rates are much lower," Geffray stated in an interview. He attributed this disparity to the greater difficulty in broaching these sensitive subjects with adolescents. Furthermore, he acknowledged that "41% of teachers report not being trained or not being sufficiently trained" for these lessons, a situation he aims to rectify by "massifying their training starting next school year."

41% of teachers report not being trained or not being sufficiently trained.

— Édouard GeffrayThe Minister of Education acknowledging the lack of adequate training for teachers delivering affective and sexual education.

The minister also suggested improving communication about the courses and integrating them into the school calendar from the beginning of the year. Geffray believes that the EVARS program may partially contribute to a 19% rise in reported cases of violence against minors, which saw 88,000 notifications this year, with 37,000 forwarded to justice authorities. He indicated that the education "awakens young people's awareness of potential problems."

We can probably, at least in part, link affective and sexual education to the 19% increase in reports of 'acts of violence against minors'.

— Édouard GeffrayThe Minister of Education suggesting a potential connection between the education program and increased reporting of violence against minors.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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