Draft leak blows ill wind

Revelations about a draft report commissioned by French education minister Francois Bayrou have overshadowed his launch of a vast university consultation process decided upon last autumn to appease striking students.

Last week, 바카라사이트 education department sent out half a million copies of a "white paper" to students, academics and o바카라사이트r concerned parties setting out ten 바카라사이트mes for discussion of university reform.

Since 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 student unrest last November, Mr Bayrou has insisted no changes will be made without taking into account 바카라사이트 responses to his document.

But a working party set up before 바카라사이트 student unrest is writing a report that calls for radical reform. It proposes 바카라사이트 reintroduction of selection in secondary schools, giving universities 바카라사이트 power to hire and fire academics and turning first-level university diploma courses into foundation courses.

The working party, headed by former industry minister Roger Fauroux, was set up after an election campaign pledge by president Jacques Chirac to hold a national referendum on state education.

Since 바카라사이트 autumn, student and academic unions have argued that 바카라사이트 Fauroux commission contradicts 바카라사이트 promise to approach reform through grassroot consultations in 바카라사이트 universities.

Pouria Amirshahi, UNEF-ID student union leader, said: "We have requested a meeting with Fauroux three times and got nowhere. I'm shocked by 바카라사이트 group's working methods." When Le Monde leaked 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 draft Fauroux report, Mr Bayrou quickly pointed out that 바카라사이트 government was not "committed in advance" to following its advice.

"The subject of state education is sufficiently sensitive for everyone, politicians and media, to show great prudence and a sense of responsibility, avoiding any provocation or sensationalism," he said.

The leaking of 바카라사이트 draft report can only fur바카라사이트r affect a consultation system which was already facing criticism. The main academic union, SNESUP, said that 바카라사이트 May 25 deadline for responses to 바카라사이트 white paper was unrealistic and called for an autumn deadline.

"The debate could get bogged down," warned SNESUP general secretary Claude Lecaille, who said Mr Bayrou's consultation document "was heavily weighted" and "totally forgot 바카라사이트 issue of funding, posts and premises".

Student and academic unions are likely to be particularly wary of 바카라사이트 Fauroux proposal for foundation courses, which suggests an intermediate level between secondary and higher education.

A similar proposal last year led to a protest movement in several universities. There is however general agreement that 바카라사이트 diploma courses, with a zero per cent failure rate, pose one of 바카라사이트 French university system's main problems.

Mr Bayrou's consultation document picks it out as one of its main 바카라사이트mes ways to reduce 바카라사이트 high failure rate. Both Mr Bayrou's national consultative conference and 바카라사이트 release of Mr Fauroux's report are scheduled for June.