# Baccalaureate reform: Édouard Geffray defends exam schedule > In late October 2026, Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray defends the positive aspects of the baccalaureate reform, while its designer Pierre Mathiot revisits his responsibility in the contested system. On November 7, the minister answers readers and considers it "not a good idea to tinker with the baccalaureate", before refusing to change the exam schedule despite high school mobilization and promising catch-up classes. The next day, he declares he has "no intention of touching the exams". On November 9, he announces that catch-up classes could be organized during the February or Easter holidays, with baccalaureate dates maintained. On November 11, he refuses to give "a cut-rate baccalaureate" and defends his reform. **In brief**: Ongoing story bringing together 8 events nationwide, followed from 27 October 2026 to 11 November 2026. 49 articles from 25 sources (politics, society); last updated on 11 November 2026 at 09:51. - Status: ongoing - Category: Politics, Society - Place: Nationwide - First detected: 27 October 2026 at 20:01 - Updated: 11 November 2026 at 09:51 - Web page: https://acturadar.com/en/stories/97-baccalaureate-reform-edouard-geffray-defends-exam-schedule ## Coverage angles All three sides report the minister's decision not to change the exam schedule, but the left emphasizes high school mobilization and disruptions, the center relays the minister's statements and context, while the right highlights the minister's justifications and the risks of a change. **Common ground** - Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray refuses to change the baccalaureate exam schedule. - The decision comes despite high school mobilization and lost class hours. - The minister promises catch-up classes in disrupted high schools. - The Parcoursup schedule also remains unchanged. **Differences** - The left emphasizes the scale of mobilization and disruptions, while the right cites the minister's justification regarding the risks of a change. - The center mentions the end of the mandatory cover letter on Parcoursup, a point absent from the provided left and right articles. - A center editorial (Paris-Normandie) revisits the minister's remarks anticipating a decline in the brevet pass rate, an angle absent from the other sides. ## Background _Context and reference points, separate from the story’s news; every item links to its source._ **Key terms** - **Baccalaureate**: A set of French national diplomas marking the end of secondary studies, comprising three tracks leading to three distinct diplomas: the general baccalaureate, the technological baccalaureate, and the professional baccalaureate. ([Wikipédia](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baccalaur%C3%A9at_en_France)) - **Baccalaureate reform**: 2018 reform which, for the general and technological baccalaureates, adds continuous assessment to the national exam; until the 2020 cohort, obtaining these diplomas was entirely conditional on a national exam. ([Wikipédia](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baccalaur%C3%A9at_en_France)) - **Continuous assessment**: Ongoing assessment carried out at all times during learning, as opposed to periodic assessment which evaluates only a limited number of assignments; it should not be confused with assessment that systematically awards a grade. ([Wikipédia](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89valuation_continue)) ## Timeline (8 events) ### 27 October 2026 — [Baccalauréat : Geffray défend les bons côtés de la réforme](https://acturadar.com/en/events/2225-baccalaureat-geffray-defend-les-bons-cotes-de-la-reforme.md) Le ministre de l'Éducation nationale Édouard Geffray estime qu'il ne faut pas oublier les aspects positifs de la réforme du baccalauréat. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 27 October 2026 — [The designer of the bac reform takes responsibility 'up to a certain point'](https://acturadar.com/en/events/2283-the-designer-of-the-bac-reform-takes-responsibility-up-to-a-certain-point.md) Pierre Mathiot, designer of the baccalaureate reform, comments on his responsibility in the contested system. 2 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 7 November 2026 — [Édouard Geffray défend sa vision du baccalauréat face aux lecteurs](https://acturadar.com/en/events/12521-edouard-geffray-defend-sa-vision-du-baccalaureat-face-aux-lecteurs.md) Le ministre Édouard Geffray répond aux lecteurs sur la réforme du baccalauréat et estime qu'il n'est « pas une bonne idée de bricoler le bac ». 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 7 November 2026 — [Bac : Geffray refuse de modifier le calendrier des examens](https://acturadar.com/en/events/12663-bac-geffray-refuse-de-modifier-le-calendrier-des-examens.md) Le ministre de l'Éducation maintient le calendrier des épreuves malgré la mobilisation lycéenne et promet des cours de rattrapage. 18 sources, 23 articles · Nationwide ### 8 November 2026 — [Le ministre de l'Éducation assure ne pas vouloir toucher aux examens](https://acturadar.com/en/events/12890-le-ministre-de-l-education-assure-ne-pas-vouloir-toucher-aux-examens.md) Le ministre de l'Éducation nationale déclare n'avoir « pas l'intention de toucher aux examens », dans le contexte de la réforme du baccalauréat. 2 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 8 November 2026 — [Editorial on the reform of the brevet](https://acturadar.com/en/events/13035-editorial-on-the-reform-of-the-brevet.md) An editorial looks back at remarks by Education Minister Édouard Geffray anticipating a drop in the pass rate for the brevet after the reform of the exam. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 9 November 2026 — [Bac : Geffray annonce des cours de rattrapage en février ou à Pâques, calendrier maintenu](https://acturadar.com/en/events/13837-bac-geffray-annonce-des-cours-de-rattrapage-en-fevrier-ou-a-paques-calendrier.md) Le ministre de l'Éducation nationale Édouard Geffray a indiqué que des cours de rattrapage pourraient être organisés pendant les vacances de février ou de Pâques, les dates du bac étant maintenues. 14 sources, 16 articles · Nationwide ### 11 November 2026 — [Geffray refuse de donner « un bac au rabais »](https://acturadar.com/en/events/16250-geffray-refuse-de-donner-un-bac-au-rabais.md) Le ministre de l'Éducation nationale Édouard Geffray défend sa réforme du baccalauréat et assure ne pas vouloir donner à cette génération un bac interprété comme « au rabais ». 1 sources, 3 articles · Nationwide --- Cite as: Acturadar, “Baccalaureate reform: Édouard Geffray defends exam schedule”, https://acturadar.com/en/stories/97-baccalaureate-reform-edouard-geffray-defends-exam-schedule Methodology: https://acturadar.com/en/methodology