Furthermore the orientation itself is often biased

That does not work in the direction of young people in France system Why so many college students, students and even students feel disabled at the time to choose their way These are the questions to which a study of the Biop, orientation of the ICC of Paris centre. A topical theme, then the future graduates have until March 20 to register in the top via the portal Admission-postbac.

The Biop share an observation without complacency, which has already been the subject of multiple reports: very many young people, even brilliant, approach higher education without knowing what they want to do. "While progress has been made, admits Michèle Dain, Director of the Biop." Awareness occurred, both among the public authorities in the educational world and the parents of the importance of the guidance. And information devices have multiplied. ", Young people always have the same difficulties in moving, as illustrated by the many testimonies collected by the Biop. Many adolescents continue to "Tinker" their choices, in a system "more or less explicit" constraints and prioritization.

Social inequalities

Specifically, review all of the logic in the choice of the youth. In General, orientation functions as a machine that tends to exclude, at all levels, students less adapted to the system. Those "successful", she leads them to focus on the notes and evaluation, especially in mathematics. Result: "young people have integrated a hierarchy which favours General channels, over professional and even technological networks."

This hierarchy is very prejudicial, considers the Biop. It stigmatize students who display other forms of intelligence and frequently leads to a sense of frustration and failure. It increases inequities, as success in the general subjects is often higher for the children of executives and teachers. It is even harmful for the "good" students, encouraging them to choose channels for their image of excellence, even if they do not match their skills, or to their wishes. "Young people have changed". With new technologies, they are sincere, they develop new skills, new skills, noted Michèle Dain. But this is not quite taken into account at the school, while most trades require more knowledge. Result, it is to multiply the phenomena of rejection and school phobia and there is a high rate of school failure.

Furthermore, the orientation itself is often biased. The fear of unemployment led to calculators strategies, while the labour market remains little predictable. The elitist operation of some institutions, on the other hand, sharpens the competition and reinforces inequalities. Not to mention that the offer of training is not fairly distributed in the territory.

Early decisions

Therefore, adolescents are facing a double challenge. They must make decisions very early, at a school that does not take into account their personality and accompanies does them not enough in their thinking. And, on the other hand, the French context does not clear the selection criteria.

As the authors advocate a "preparation choices" that is fully integrated in school curricula as a discipline in its own right. This renovated orientation process, including the Quebec model of the "guidance-oriented approach", draws would allow young people to learn to think about themselves and their motivations, awareness training courses without hierarchize them, discover careers in concrete and integrate the concept of "lifelong guidance". Such an approach would enable them to develop more mature professional projects, gaining self-confidence and improve their academic performance. "The guidance should be considered as a personal process of maturation, which requires time, of the trial and error, of the Exchange and regular follow-up", insists Michèle Dain. Obviously, it is still very far away.