These measures, expected for several months, will be announced by the Minister of National Education on May 11. Pap Ndiaye said he wanted “a commitment” from Catholic education on the subject of social and school diversity.
The Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye has made the subject of school and social diversity a priority for his action. Announcements on the subject, postponed several times, have been expected since November. They are scheduled for May 11.
“Pap Ndiaye will bring together on May 11 all the rectors and Dasen (academic directors of the national education services, editor’s note) at the Ministry of National Education. He will specify to them the levers that they will have to mobilize, in connection with the actors of the territory, to meet targeted objectives of social and educational diversity. He will give a press conference at the end,” the minister’s office told AFP.
More scholars in Catholic schools
The Minister has already mentioned several levers that he intends to mobilize to promote academic and social diversity at school: the creation of “sections of excellence”, such as international sections, in disadvantaged territories, the creation of college pairs “geographically close but very contrasting socially”, or even the participation of private education under contract in this effort.
The minister is finalizing a memorandum of understanding with Catholic education, so that the latter undertakes to increase the proportion of scholarship holders in its establishments, with “progressive quantified objectives”.
“The State finances three-quarters of the budget of these establishments. We therefore expect a commitment from them to move towards more social and educational diversity, particularly in large cities, where school avoidance is maximum”, explains Pap Ndiaye in an interview with Le Figaro published on Friday.
“It should not be a vague commitment, but a commitment with percentages,” continued Pap Ndiaye.
