Contenu du sommaire : Qui administre l'éducation ?

National Education : a Period of Transition ? National education has undergone many changes in the last twenty years. The changes which have been undertaken reflect a society which has evolved considerably. But educational reforms still give rise to heated debates. Any reflection upon the position of the education system leads one to wonder about its relationship with civil society and the powers of the State. The current requirement that schools adapt to society runs the risk of a break-up of the system, while one of the State' s roles is to ensure cultural integration. Models available in other countries can enlighten our study of the future of educational policies.

The Birth of “the” Private Education. Since 1959 the relationship between State and private education has undergone profound changes. These changes have their origin in sociological, institutional and legal phenomena. Private education has come to be regarded as an organisation ; it has become so like State education that its activities do not differ significantly from those of State education ; pupils' parents use private education less as a way of ensuring a Christian education than because they think it offers a better chance of success, both educational and social, for their children.

The Education System and Business. One of the key objectives of public authorities is to bring about the necessary closer link between the education system and the economic sector, an objective which is pursued at both national and local levels. In addition to the already established system of apprenticeships, the new concept of sandwich-courses, run by schools in conjunction with businesses, has now been introduced. The broad policy of consultation between State and the professions is being pursued through bodies comprising representatives from the economic and the education sectors, albeit that their respective influence is not always equal. The relationship between State and the business sector is reinforced by the important role played by the regions in professional training. The success of sandwich-courses has led to a “modernisation” of the system of apprenticeships. One must, however, remain cautious ; professional education has been insufficiently re-evaluated because of its lack of a coherent system. Perhaps the quinquennial law will put an end to this situation of uncertainty.

Professional Training : the Difficult Search for Partners. The “French System” of continuing education was started 25 years ago as a result of political desire to redefine the State's role within the nation. The State sought to play its part with respect to policy orientation, but without paralysing the actors in the social sphere. This system of social regulation has proved effective and capable of adapting to change. Of course, co-operation between autonomous bodies, in order to secure a single objective, is not always easy. The practice of negotiation, rather than imposition, in decision-making, and the multitude of actors can lead to confusion and complexity. It remains the case that, in this area, contracts are used in preference to both State régulation and complete deregulation. This probably represents the best way of ensuring life-long access to education for everyone.

Are Universities being Controlled ? Universities have obvious autonomy in many areas, particularly as regards teaching. In order to guide and control them, however, the State is short of neither legislative and regulatory provisions, nor of concrete means of incitement. On the more strategie question of the development of universities and new establishments, the State must act in considération of the wishes of these organisations and particularly those of local authorities whose interventions have to be taken into account. Contractual procedures allow all parties to air their point of view and the State to channel initiatives. But neither the universities nor the State fully exploit ways of exercising their respective powers. Dialogue and persuasion, rather than force, are nowadays the most appropriate ways of responding to changes in higher education.

Decentralisation of the Education System Décentralisation grants the freedom necessary for innovation and makes those involved responsible for their actions. Nevertheless it demands that a balance be maintained in the distribution of powers between local authorities and the State. Particular difficulties anse with respect to the complex structure of local bodies and to a weakness in the management of human resources. Universities could benefit from a partnership with the State and local authorities. It is noticeable that, despite problems in the system, decentralisation is universally positive with respect to the performance of the education system. Its success depends upon everyone collaborating together.

Adapting Central Administration to New Facts The smooth running of the education system requires that central administration be in a position to play a role in its conception, implementation and evaluation. Currently various factors prevent this : the service is hampered by the requirement to carry out too many managerial tasks which have not been delegated ; the multitude of authorities interferes with the coherency of policies ; and the traditional hierarchical model habitually precludes any negotiation of means and objectives. An increase in the devolution of responsibilities to local level, together with a tightening of central structures, would improve the functioning of the institution ; this ought to be accompanied by more ordered and better utilised internal assessments.

The Contents of Education : a Technical or Political Matter ? The corporatism of the teaching profession, conservatism and established ideas undoubtedly have prevented debate upon the content of education. The situation seems to change little. While, in France, it is true that education curricula fall within the remit of the executive, the debate is, nevertheless, open to numerous participants. The participation of researchers, professors, professional bodies and parents has been somewhat restrained. Obtaining a degree appears to be of more concern than its actual content. A more global calling into question of the desired aim of education, and hence its content, might allow apprenticeship to be valued at last.

The Centralisation of the British Education System : “the Market Rules”. During the 1980s the organisation of education in the UK passed from the era of “local government” to a conception based upon a mixture of centralisation and entrepreneurial vision. The introduction of the national curriculum in the important 1988 law on schools marked the first stage of centralisation and has been followed by a growth in the areas of government intervention at the expense of local education authorities. In order to ensure a more efficient education system centralisation has been combined with a reinforcement of the managerial responsibilities of those in charge of schools, that is school governors and headteachers. The recent reforms aim to establish a “market” in education, relying upon an increase in financial support from businesses and upon the recognition of the powers of parents in their guise as “consumers” of education services.

The End of Policies on Education ? A Comparative Analysis. Up until the end of the 1970s policies on education were dominated by society's political choices. Today political crisis has led to attention being focused instead upon the very functioning of education systems and upon their effectiveness. This translates into primacy being given to school results, importance being attached to teaching processes and leads to an increasing harmonisation of education policies.