Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Drawing similarities between two educational systems

R. Krishnamoorthy

TIRUCHI: Hoppenstedt Ben, a graduate student from Toulouse University, France, brought the similarities between the French and Indian educational systems to the fore during an interaction programme organised by the National Service Scheme and the Centre for Women's Studies, Bharathidasan University, recently.

Interacting with students here, he said that in France children were made to undergo school education upto 16 years, as in India.

School education was taken up for 12 years.

However, in France, the five years were allotted for primary education, four years for high school, and three years for higher secondary. After school, the students had to appear for a nationwide Baccalaureate Test.

Nearly 80 per cent pursue higher studies, the rest take up blue colour jobs.

After qualifying this test, youngsters in France enter graduate programmes, but hardly one fourth succeed in completing the first year.

Those who fail to move on to the second year of their graduate programmes choose to find employment.

Classroom teaching does not give room for student interaction and generally university and college graduates are not treated on par with those pursuing engineering degrees.

Engineering is the most sought after course in France, but it requires high marks, general knowledge and hard work for two years. Generally, only those who are bright enough to score well both in general knowledge and other practical components take up the course.

Private companies immediately offer jobs to students in accordance to the brand image of the schools the students study in.

Business schools fall in between engineering and university graduate programmes. This course includes fieldwork.

In France, the parents decide the career of their wards. However, there was no gender or class/race bias when it comes to education.

Owing to competition from business schools, French universities have also begun to introduce innovative programmes comprising fieldwork components, including project work.

Mr. Ben is here for his project, which concerns the tsunami-affected population.

He conducted a study on the `Economic impact of the tsunami on a non-fishermen community' and shared his experience with the participants.

He worked in a village called Vettaikarantheru, one of the target villages of People's Development Initiatives, a non-governmental organisation.

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