Bruno Le Maire proposes lowering nursery school age to one year

Former French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has proposed lowering the starting age for nursery school to one year old. This suggestion comes in response to the PISA 2025 results, which showed a historic decline in the academic performance of 15-year-old students in France. Data indicates that since 2022, French scores have dropped significantly in reading comprehension and mathematics.

The proposal has faced immediate and widespread opposition from various sectors. The National Union of Early Childhood Professionals (SNPPE) described the idea as “out of touch,” arguing that it ignores the developmental needs of infants, such as emotional security and biological rhythms. Professionals noted that current staffing levels in nurseries and schools are insufficient to accommodate such a change without a massive increase in infrastructure and personnel.

Cognitive science experts have also criticized the move, stating that the quality of early childhood reception is more critical to long-term success than the specific age of school entry. Critics argue that treating infants as academic variables to improve international rankings fails to account for the practical realities of childcare and child development.