French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said that schools will not close and baccalauréat exams will not be postponed despite a heatwave.
The decision comes as extreme temperatures raise concerns over student health and performance during one of the country's most critical academic milestones. Any delay to the national exams would disrupt the academic calendar and university admissions processes across the nation.
Speaking in an interview with BFMTV, Geffray addressed the potential impact of the heat on students. He said there would be "pas de fermetures de classes ou de report des épreuves du bac" [1].
The first exams are scheduled to begin on May 27 [1]. The minister's refusal to shift the date ensures that the standardized testing window remains intact, despite the weather conditions.
Local authorities and school administrators are typically responsible for implementing heat-mitigation strategies, such as adjusting ventilation, or providing water. Geffray said he did not detail specific new mandates for schools in the interview, but he maintained that the academic schedule must hold.
The baccalauréat serves as the final examination for secondary education in France. Because the results determine eligibility for higher education, the timing of these tests is strictly regulated by the Ministry of Education.
“Pas de fermetures de classes ou de report des épreuves du bac”
The government's decision to prioritize the academic schedule over weather-related disruptions suggests a low tolerance for calendar shifts in the national education system. By refusing to postpone the exams, the Ministry avoids a logistical crisis but places the burden of heat management on individual schools and students during a period of high stress.
