Press Conference – Start of the New 2017/2018 School Year

© Direction de la Communication / Frédéric Nebinger

In the presence of Mr. Patrice Cellario, Minister of Interior, and Monsignor Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco, Mrs. Isabelle Bonnal, Director of Education, Youth and Sport, presented the key statistics and main innovations for the 2017/2018 academic year, which she sees as "focusing on excellence and self-fulfilment." 

Among the innovations in the Primary sector, she highlighted the expansion of the "pupil success" system (mastery of reading skills), the training campaign for Primary-level teachers in Mathematics and experimentation with a dress code for pupils from Years 2, 3 and 4 of the Ecole de la Condamine.  In the Secondary sector, new activities will concern the first intake of pupils at Monaco's Vocational and Catering School (Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monaco) to take the European option of the professional Baccalaureate, the introduction of Philosophy in the curriculum of the professional Baccalaureate and the opening of a European "English" section in the Year 11 General and Technological class at the Lycée François d'Assise - Nicolas Barré. 

Also of note is the creation of a Primary Adaptation class at the Ecole Saint-Charles and an Adaptation and School Integration (AIS) class in the Secondary sector at the College Charles III, to give further help to the least able pupils. 

5,878 pupils (4,587 in the State sector and 1,291 in the private sector under contract*) will return to school on Monday.  Citing Rousseau's "Emile," Isabelle Bonnal has made it a priority for the educational community to "give students the desire to learn."

*Figures as at 31/08/2017