2. Structure of Responsibility for French School Education

In this section we summarise the structure of responsibility within the education system.

1. 2.1. Ministry of Education
2. 2.2. Local Education Authorities
3. 2.3. School Councils

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2.1. Ministre de l’Education Nationale

The division of responsibility within central government is summarised in the following table:


Table: Government Responsibility

Level	Responsibility
Centre	Ministre de l’Education Nationale
Region	Recteur
County	Inspecteur d’académie
Inspectorate	IGAENR

State responsibility for education is undertaken through the Ministre de l’éducation nationale.

Although in recent years there has been some limited decentralisation, the system is still highly centralised, with strong control from the centre over standards, financing, curricula, organisation, teacher recruitment and training.

The government also determines the structure of schools in each region and the general rules that apply in the management of schools. School holiday dates are also determined centrally.

Universities have a greater degree of autonomy but, as almost all rely primarily on government funding, central government influence remains very strong.

Administrative responsibility for education at a regional level is undertaken through 28 Regional Académies, each of which is headed by a Recteur, who is a civil servant and an appointee of the Minister.

As well as having responsibility for school education the Recteur is also Chancellor of the universities in the region and manages the contracts between private schools and the government.

Although the Académies are organised on a regional basis these regions do not correspond to the governmental regions, an arrangement that has often been a source of conflict and grievance with the regional and local councils.

At a county level (département) there is an Inspecteur d’académie who reports to the regional .

The Inspecteur is responsible for implementing the policies of the government and overseeing the management of the primary and secondary school educational establishments in their area.

Their role is more limited in relation to lycées, where regional councils have more power. Neither do they have any involvement in nursery schools, which are the responsibility of the local communes.

Although the Académie has a role in supervising school standards, primary responsibility for both school and higher education inspection is carried out by the inspection body called IGAENR - L’Inspection générale de l’administration de l'éducation nationale et de la recherche .

They also undertake more general reports about the development of education in the country and have a representative on each School Council.

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Next: Local Education Authorities

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