New Educational Policies Enhance Safety and Focus for France's 2026 School Year

As the 2026 school year begins on September 1 in France, 11.6 million students from kindergarten through to the final year of high school will experience several key educational policy changes designed to enhance safety and learning focus. A prominent adjustment is the comprehensive ban on smartphones in high schools, aimed at minimizing distractions and improving student concentration during school hours.

In addition to this, the national baccalauréat examination schedule has been modified, with exams now slated to take place in the morning. This change is intended to optimize students' performance by aligning test times with periods of peak alertness.

A significant emphasis has also been placed on combating sexual and sexist violence within educational environments. The Ministry of National Education has introduced expanded questionnaires addressing these issues to foster awareness and prevention. Parallel to this, the Minister of National Education and Paris' Rector have publicly reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding minors from sexual violence in schools. They discussed enhanced protective measures for enrolled minors during recent press conferences, highlighting a collaborative approach between educational authorities to ensure safer schooling conditions.

These combined efforts reflect a comprehensive strategy to create a safer, more secure, and focused educational environment as students and educators embark on the new academic year.