Measures attracting learners back to education and training

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
France
Download PDF version
Timeline
  • 2016Legislative process
  • 2017Implementation
  • 2018Implementation
  • 2019Implementation
  • 2020Implementation
  • 2021Completed
ID number
28230

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

The right to education is one of the fundamental responsibilities of the State to ensure equal opportunities to all citizens. A right to come back to initial education and training was set in 2013.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

Reducing school dropout is a priority. A right to delayed training aims to give young dropouts a chance to return to initial education and training under scholar or trainee status.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

Any student who, at the end of compulsory schooling, has not attained a level of training recognised by a national diploma or a professional qualification registered and classified at or above level 3 of the national register of professional qualifications (RNCP) must be able to pursue studies to acquire a qualification. The State provides the means necessary, as part of its responsibilities, for the resulting continued schooling. Any young person leaving the education system without a diploma shall benefit from an additional period of qualifying training, which they may use under the conditions set by decree. This complementary period of qualifying training may take the form of a right to resume initial training as a student or as a trainee.

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article L. 6314-1 of the labour code and the qualifying training that could, in this context, be offered to them under the status of trainee in continuing training or as an employee, any person between 16 and 25 years of age leaving the education system without any RNCP qualification may, upon request, benefit from vocational training in the education context (subject to availability).

In 2015, the Education Ministry introduced the right for all learners who fail an exam in vocational, general, or technical education to repeat the class and study for the exam again in their former school. This right is an exception to the regular rule that forbids...

Any student who, at the end of compulsory schooling, has not attained a level of training recognised by a national diploma or a professional qualification registered and classified at or above level 3 of the national register of professional qualifications (RNCP) must be able to pursue studies to acquire a qualification. The State provides the means necessary, as part of its responsibilities, for the resulting continued schooling. Any young person leaving the education system without a diploma shall benefit from an additional period of qualifying training, which they may use under the conditions set by decree. This complementary period of qualifying training may take the form of a right to resume initial training as a student or as a trainee.

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article L. 6314-1 of the labour code and the qualifying training that could, in this context, be offered to them under the status of trainee in continuing training or as an employee, any person between 16 and 25 years of age leaving the education system without any RNCP qualification may, upon request, benefit from vocational training in the education context (subject to availability).

In 2015, the Education Ministry introduced the right for all learners who fail an exam in vocational, general, or technical education to repeat the class and study for the exam again in their former school. This right is an exception to the regular rule that forbids repeating a class.

2016
Legislative process
2017
Implementation
2018
Implementation
2019
Implementation

The project continued.

2020
Implementation

The measures are operational and run as regular practice.

2021
Completed

The 1 young person, 1 solution youth plan includes a set of measures for a return to initial education and training, including the measures linked to the obligation to train 16-18 year olds introduced by the Law for a school of trust adopted in July 2019.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Ministry of National Education and Youth (until 2024)
  • Ministry of Labour, Full Employment and Inclusion
  • Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports (from 2020 till 2022)
  • Ministry of Labour, Employment and Professional Integration (until 2022)

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Learners

  • Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
  • Young people (15-29 years old)
  • Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
  • Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation

Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.

This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.

This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.

Permeability between IVET and CVET and general and vocational pathways, academic and professional higher education

This thematic sub-category refers to ensuring smooth transitions (permeability) of learners within the entire education and training system, horizontally and vertically. It includes measures and policies allowing learners easily or by meeting certain conditions to move from general education programmes to VET and vice versa; to increase qualification levels in their vocation through the possibility of attending vocational programmes at higher levels, including professional degrees in higher education. It also covers opening up learning progression by introducing flexible pathways that are based on the validation and recognition of the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning.

Providing for individuals' re- and upskilling needs

This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.

Ensuring equal opportunities and inclusiveness in education and training

This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
IVET
CVET

Country

France

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Measures attracting learners back to education and training: France. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/bg/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28230