The French system of Education

I have got a Visiting Professorship to France and I am here from November 15th to 30th December, 2013. I

want to share some thoughts on the French system of education.I teach a regular course to the University of Artois to students three days a week and besides this many lectures are arranged outside the University.  I have been interacting so much with students of different levels here in France in Arras, in Paris that I am very impressed with their approach towards education. When I go for a public lecture to any College, I find a mix of students from age 10 to 35 and sometimes even 40 sitting to listen to me.  In all these years in India rarely did I interact with school or Intermediate system of education (unless I am invited as a chief guest) and certainly not in  mix group. I am not sure how they manage this but I find all of them so serious and paying attention to what I am speaking. The management usually informs the students beforehand, one week to two days in advance about the topic I was going to speak on. I speak for ten minutes then there is a translation into French.  The students all come prepared with questions about India and asked me many questions, especially about women's issues and women's movements or some aspect of Indian history. I had young students as old as twelve, thirteen  ask me, can you tell me some thing about your caste system, how do you think this effects India, do you see any relevance in this today  or why is there so much reporting of rape now. Do you think this is a media hype and what do you see as a change in India. I feel bad that we hardly have any analytical system of education in India and it is just by rote that our students study. I can never imagine a mix of student’s of different age groups sitting together.

When I give a talk all the student sit before their lap tops typing away. I am not sure why the management wants these students to be there. Are they sent to practice their English language and to get some general knowledge about India or Indian history,  that is not at all a part of their syllabus. I have hardly done this kind of lecturing in India and keep wondering while I speak what will this young children get from what I am speaking. I am also conscious of the fact that  there is a mix of age groups in the audience and try to make my self simple. But I am truly impressed at the efforts made by the management to expose students to different views.

The French education system is split into three stages: primary school (école), secondary school (collège) and high school (lycée). Primary and secondary education is free, neutral, secular and compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16. However, there are some private schools that are not subject to these obligations and particularities of the French education system.The primary school curriculum in France is similar to that in other countries, and includes literacy and numeracy, with classes in French, arithmetic, but also geography and history, the arts, and more and more frequently a foreign language, Middle school. Four levels, normally for pupils aged 11 - 15. The "collège unique" is the backbone of the French school system. All pupils go to collège, usually at age 11. The baccalauréat, France colloquially as le bac, is an academic qualification take at the end of the lycée (secondary education). It was introduced by Napoleon I in 1808. It is the main diploma required to pursue university studies. Unlike English "A levels" or Scottish "highers", the baccalaureate is a unitary exam, that pupils pass or fail. It is impossible to pass in one subject and fail in others. The only mark that counts is the final weighted average, which must be at last 10/20 for a pupil to pass. Pupils who achieve just under 10/20 are often passed by the exam board, whose decision is final. This is an exam which is said to be very difficult and I saw very serious studies being undertaken to pass this exam. This exam is  for the  entry to a University.

All about French cuisine:

france is now going to be home till  30th December, 2013.We plan to travel and celebrate Christmas here and then return to India.  While we are in France we are trying all kinds of french cuisine. French cuisine is known all over the world. The typical meal includes three courses—a simple starter (soup or a salad, which is mostly cold), a main dish (lots of cheese, vegetables or chicken but we prefer vegetarian), and then cheese and fruit for dessert , followed by coffee to end the meal. Until the day the Bastille was stormed in 1789, the majority of French citizens were poor farmers whose diets were based mainly on grains. In the decades that followed, an upper class emerged – one that upheld good food as a mark of social standing. World War I heralded the beginning of modern French cuisine. Fresh apples, berries, haricot verts, leeks, mushrooms, and various squash and stone fruits are among the most commonly used produce. France has an abundance of artisan cheese and wine and French people consume the maximum of cheese in the world.

We prefer vegetarian and get lots of potatoes in different forms, baked, boiled, fried , mashed and dipped in abundant cheese.

In Paris also when ever  I am  invite to speak, it is followed by elaborate lunches and we have learnt a lot about French cuisine. In 2010, UNESCO added French cuisine to the list of cultural objects that are called ‘intangible cultural heritage’. The history of French cuisine dates back to the middle ages. During this time French meals where very similar to Moorish Cuisine, and were served in a style called service en confusion, meaning that meals were served all at once. Meals consisted of spiced meats such as pork, beef, poultry, and fish. Catherine De Medicis (a Florentine princess) who married Henry duc d'Orleans (who became King Henry II of France) influence French cusine to a great extent. Italian chefs where light years of ahead of French culinary experts, and had already begun creating dishes such as lasagna, manicotti, and had experimented using ingredients like truffles, garlic, and mushrooms. When Catherine married King Henry II, she brought along with her Italian chefs who in turn introduced Italian culinary practices to the French court. Even though the culinary cultures of these two countries have taken different roads, the French owe much of their culinary development to the Italians and their intervention in the 1500s. Between the 17 th and 18 th century there was a development in Haute Cuisine or “High Cuisine”, and its origins can be found in the recipes of a chef named La Varenne. In the late 19 th century and early 20 th century there began a modernization of haute cuisine. Much of this new cuisine owes its development to Georges Auguste Escoffier

The Year 2013

I am now having a lot of time sitting in the US. I go back to some of my Facebook posts and saw this regarding  the year 2013.  2013 has been a good year. It was a year full of many thrills and achievements and also few ups and downs. I had to start planning for the Women's world congress coming in 2014. I completed my term as the Director Women's studies in March. I joined as the head of the Department of History in June. I can see many of my students doing well and I am hoping, Jeeva, Vitsou, Prabhu, Han , Ashita and Archana will be able to submit their Ph.d. My son Varun also completed one year in his Ph.D programme in Bridgeport. I was able to see all my three sons and daughter in law,  Sankalp and Neha in Washington, Varun in Bridgeport and Tarun who came from China.

This was also a good year for three of my students settled well. Lavanya completed a year in Osmania University. Zuali got  lectureship in Mizoram University and Harish joined my own Alma mater University of Allahabad as a lecturer. I also got an Invitation to deliver the key note address in a major International Conference in Brazil, got the Senior Academic Fellowship of the Indian Council of Historical Research ( ICHR ),and finally the Visiting Professorship to France. Somu retired and finally he was able to spend some time at home and we traveled to France together.

In all a good year.