Indicator history

France does not recognise the existence on its territory of minorities as holders of collective rights enforceable under its legal system. That is why, most of the measures taken under the equal opportunities principle, for exemple,  in the area of education, such as priority education networks or “educational achievement” networks are not aimed directly at immigrant children or children of immigrant origin but concern those of them who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Nonetheless, the rate of children whose parents do not speak French appears among the criteria taken into account to make a school benefit by one of those measures. Besides, with regard to the integration of children who are newcomers into the French school system, some special measures do exist. In primary schools, newly arrived children can benefit, during a variable period, from introductory classes, i.e. daily classes lasting several hours to give students (aged 7 to 12) intensive courses in French tailored to their needs, or from integrated remedial course, i.e. intensive courses in French provided by a part-time teacher who works at the school with small groups of students, as needed. In all cases, children are transfered back as full timeres into the class of their age group as soon as possible. A similar two-tier system exists in secondary schools.  Students from foreign origin can also benefit from classes called “Education in Languages and Cultures of Origin”, provided after school and on an optional basis by teachers posted and paid by the relevant countries, under bilateral agreements. So far, such agreements have been signed with Italy, Spain, Portugal, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and former Yugoslavia. Students also have the opportunity to take an optional test in 47 regional and foreign languages for the baccalauréat exam. Of those languages, 22 may be offered for the compulsory examination.