The new Minister of Vaud Schools Frédéric Borloz presented his priorities on Tuesday for the start of the school year on Monday. He highlighted the promotion of vocational training and advocated appeasement with regard to the reforms launched under the Amarelle era.
“I feel that there is a lot of expectation and that there is a need for a certain appeasement”, he declared during his first press conference in his new function, at the Gymnase de Morges. “After reforms carried out at a rapid pace and disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis, it is a question of bringing teachers, students and parents closer together”, said the head of the Department of Education and Vocational Training (DEF) .
Saying he was “very motivated, happy, proud and therefore absolutely not disappointed” to have inherited this department of schools, he presented the main challenges of this new school year: the promotion of vocational training, consultation on the transition to a gymnasium in four years, the continuation of the deployment of digital education and reflections on the reduction of the ecological impact of the DEF.
Mr Borloz did not go into the details of the solutions in his action plan for the future legislature but offered an “overview” of his priorities. He began his presentation to the media with the issue of vocational training, not without saying that “good measures had been taken during the previous legislature”.
This new school year will therefore be a continuous one, despite the political change at the head of the education and training department. This spring, the socialist Cesla Amarelle had not been re-elected. His successor only took office six weeks ago:
Great room for improvement
Nearly 19,000 young people will begin or continue their apprenticeship in one of the 175 trades offered in the canton. While this type of training “makes it possible to prepare and integrate young people as well as possible into working life”, barely 20% of young people went directly to the professional path on leaving compulsory education last year, a he noted.
To remedy this, Mr. Borloz mentioned a series of actions: more effective guidance, better information for all students, regardless of their VG or VP course, enhancement of professional training certificates (AFP), but also a rapprochement with companies and professional associations.
“This is an extremely important file and we have a lot of room for improvement,” he insisted, visibly counting on reviving interest in learning. He recalled his experience in economic circles and will not hesitate to activate his networks.
Efforts therefore remain to be made to attract young people to apprenticeships:
Regarding the delicate question of the gymnasium over four years instead of three (national harmonization of the course), the new State Councilor did not want to give his opinion, the subject being in consultation at the cantonal level until the beginning of September. The government should decide by the end of September, he said.
Analysis, adjustments and corrections
On the two reforms that aroused much discontent during the era of socialist Cesla Amarelle – the 360° Concept of inclusive school and digital education -, Mr. Borloz made it clear that he would not stop them but that it was time to take the time to analyze the situation and take stock, listening to training professionals and families.
“I absolutely do not dispute the 360° Concept. The inclusive school is important, commendable and healthy in my eyes. On the other hand, it requires adjustments or even corrections,” he said. He did not say he was opposed or closed to the organization of Assizes on this big file – demanded “urgently” Tuesday by the unions – “but not immediately and only if necessary”.
There is also no question of pulling the plug on digital education, he also assured. The head of the DEF spoke of “consolidation” not without finding a little calm” also in this important file.
No shortage of teachers
Next Monday, 94,100 compulsory school students (+1.8% compared to 2021) and 35,610 apprentices and students in post-compulsory training will go to their classes. The start of the academic year will take place in September for 40,666 students, including 17,134 people enrolled at UNIL and 3,370 in training at HEP Vaud.
The officials of the Vaud school also assured that there was no shortage of teachers in the canton, unlike certain German-speaking cantons, in particular due to a “good recruitment policy” in recent years.
Mr. Borloz again welcomed a “normal” back to school, where the Covid is no longer the main subject. He also indicated that since March, 990 Ukrainian children have been integrated into compulsory school and 217 into post-compulsory education.
Jérôme Genet with Keystone-ATS