The intense heat is once again disrupting the exam schedule. Oral exams for the baccalaureate have been postponed for approximately 10.000 candidates in centers where conditions do not allow the exams to be conducted normally. This decision particularly affects oral exams scheduled for the afternoon, when temperatures are highest in some schools. Affected candidates will receive a new summons with a revised date or time. The postponement does not apply nationwide. It is decided locally, center by center, based on the situation in the exam rooms.
The patent was upheld on Friday
Despite the heat, the Brevet exam scheduled for Friday will go ahead as planned. Students should therefore report to their exam centers as usual. The Ministry is currently prioritizing holding the morning exams, a time considered less affected by the highest temperatures. However, adjustments may be made in schools: cooler rooms, improved ventilation, access to water, adapted procedures for welcoming candidates, and special monitoring of vulnerable students. The remaining Brevet exams also remain on the schedule, unless the weather situation changes or a local decision is made to the contrary.
A case-by-case approach
The government is not opting for a nationwide postponement. The chosen approach is one of targeted adaptation. School principals and heads of institutions must assess the specific conditions in each center: temperature in the rooms, ventilation options, availability of cooler spaces, exam duration, number of candidates summoned, and the capacity to accommodate them safely. In the most affected schools, oral exams may be postponed by a few hours or a few days. In the others, they will proceed as scheduled.
Oral presentations are more exposed than written ones.
Oral exams present a particular problem. They can last all day, require examiners to dedicate several hours to them, and are sometimes held in rooms poorly suited to the heat. Candidates, for their part, must wait their turn, sometimes for a long time, in rooms that are already hot. For both examiners and students, the accumulated heat can make conditions difficult. This is why postponements mainly affect the oral exams for the baccalaureate, which are more exposed to the afternoon's temperature peaks.
Institutions under pressure
This new heatwave also highlights the limitations of school buildings. Many schools lack air-conditioned rooms, effective shutters, or sufficiently cool spaces to host exams in suitable conditions. In some cases, staff have to reorganize rooms at the last minute, move candidates, adjust schedules, or group exams in the least exposed rooms. The challenge is twofold: protecting students and staff without completely disrupting an already very tight exam schedule.
What candidates must do
Candidates whose oral exams have been postponed should not appear on the original date if they receive a new summons. They should check their email, their candidate portal, their online learning platform (ENT), or communications from their school. For candidates taking the Brevet exam, the instructions are different: Friday's exam is still scheduled. They must therefore go to their exam center at the scheduled time, unless otherwise officially instructed by their school or regional education authority.
