“At some point, we have to stop comparing ourselves to others and make school more participatory,” says a mathematician

According to the Pisa survey published on Tuesday, the level of French students has fallen, particularly in mathematics. The Minister of Education subsequently announced a whole series of measures to raise this level. “The idea of ​​evaluating school textbooks” “shows a bit of courage”, according to a mathematician.

“At some point, we have to stop comparing ourselves to others and make school more participatory”, estimated Tuesday December 5 on franceinfo Etienne Ghys, mathematician, permanent secretary of the Academy of Sciences, while the Pisa survey revealed the drop in level of French students in maths and French. Gabriel Attal unveiled on Tuesday December 5 a series of measures to respond to the drop in levels.

franceinfo: Should we have level groups in mathematics?

Etienne Ghys: It’s a good idea, but implementing it will be another question. More teachers will be needed, this may be a very complicated technical question.

What do you think of these results?

Mathematics is often criticized for being abstract, for comparing, classifying, listing. At some point, we have to stop comparing ourselves to others and make the school more participatory, so that there are fewer sanctions, so that students can work together without there being first in class and last . What do we want with our children? That they calculate better or feel better about themselves?

Should we approach mathematics differently?

National Education always tends to put mathematics in an airtight box and disconnect it from the rest of the world.

“Mathematics cannot be conceived without close links with other sciences”

Etienne Ghys, mathematician

at franceinfo

You cannot do mathematics without knowing basic physics or basic biology and vice versa.

What measures announced by Gabriel Attal catch your attention?

The minister has put many measures on the table but one seems to me to deserve attention and it shows a little courage. This is the idea of ​​evaluating textbooks. They are not the responsibility of publishers who produce books in accordance with the program which is the responsibility of the State. But the State is not responsible for evaluating and giving its point of view on school textbooks. The minister proposed that a certain number of textbooks could be validated by National Education and I think it is a good idea to be able to highlight deserving textbooks.