French President pledges comprehensive education reformsOctober 10, 2012 - 22:08 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - French President François Hollande potentially won the hearts of millions of future voters when he announced plans to abolish homework and reduce the number of pupils forced to repeat school years, according to France24. The comprehensive reforms will also increase the number of teachers across the country, boost aid to disadvantaged areas and target absenteeism. The school week would return to four and a half days rather than four – a change introduced under the former administration as a cost-cutting measure. “Education is priority,” Hollande said at Paris’s Sorbonne University. “An education program is, by definition, a societal program. Work should be done at school, rather than at home,” in order to foster educational equality for those students who do not have support at home, he added. He also promised incentives for teachers willing to work in “difficult areas”. Children will also be able to attend school at an earlier age in highlighted zones. Following his election in May, Socialist Hollande vowed to make education a key focus of his five-year term and outlined his proposals in the speech. He has promised to employ some 60,000 teachers over five years, after Nicolas Sarkozy cut tens of thousands of jobs during his own mandate. French children’s test scores are above the European average, but they suffer some of the longest working days on the continent, leaving school only at 5pm or 6pm. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |