Record 86.8% pass the bac

A RECORD 86.8% of students passed the baccalauréat this year, a rise of 2.4% on last year and beating the previous record of 86.3% from 2009.

Education Minister Vincent Peillon said it was a “very good result” and congratulated students and their teachers saying it showed they were “very good results in all areas of high school”.

One student, from Rouen, got the top mark of 21.21 out of the nominal maximum score of 20; due to a combination of the courses she took and their marking averages. In all, 171 students got more than the “maximum” 20 mark – up from 31 last year.

More than one in four students received a mention assez bien a mark between 12 and 14 out of 20, 12.2% got bien (14-16) and 5.7% got a très bien (16 and above).

The mention très bien is worth more than words for students as they get a €1,800 grant from education authorities – but the government is to end that and will switch to a new system, giving grants based on social criteria.
Photo: Anton Prado - Fotolia.com