French students take baccalaureate exams in underground parking lot due to heatwave

High school students in Rueil-Malmaison, near Paris, faced sweltering temperatures as they took their baccalaureate French oral exams in an underground parking lot. The unconventional setup was a response to a severe heatwave that made traditional classrooms unusable.

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This is not even a workaround, it's survival mode.

The Versailles academy confirmed the exceptional measure, stating it was implemented to prevent exam postponements. Photos shared online showed desks and chairs arranged in the dimly lit parking area, a stark contrast to typical examination settings. An educator and regional councilor described the situation as "survival mode."

Education Minister Édouard Geffray acknowledged that the parking lot conditions were far from optimal. "I am not saying that pedagogically and architecturally, it is ideal. That is clear, it is not what is needed," he told BFMTV. However, he emphasized that the adaptation was crucial for the 700,000 students taking their oral exams that week to do so on time.

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I am not saying that pedagogically and architecturally, it is ideal. That is clear, it is not what is needed.

Geffray highlighted the logistical challenges and stress that a postponement would have caused. He noted that while adapting school buildings to extreme weather takes time, such improvised solutions demonstrate the ability of staff and institutions to adapt. The goal was to ensure students could complete their exams and begin their holidays as planned.

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We are all agreed that these are not optimal conditions.