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– Of the 600,000 students who made wishes in 2023, only 41 made just one wish, and 38 of them opted exclusively for Stanislas’ preparatory classes.
Stanislas never stops talking. In August 2023, Mediapart exposed questionable practices within the Parisian private educational institution, which were subsequently confirmed by the Ministry of Education. The report shows that some students, including the eldest son of the Minister of Education, Amélie Ouéda-Castéra, are encouraged to give up their other wishes in Parcoursup in exchange for a guarantee of admission to the preparatory class for the grandes écoles ( CPGE). Although this practice is rare nationally, it raises major concerns about equal access to higher education. The report shows that of the 600,000 students who made wishes in 2023, only 41 made just one wish, and 38 of them opted exclusively for Stanislas’ preparatory classes, Ouest France reported on January 21, 2024. This exceptional focus highlights the magnitude of the problem, highlighting practices that may be detrimental to fairness and equal opportunity for students.
Faced with these revelations, the Ministry of Education has taken action by calling the establishment to order and demanding guarantees from the head of the establishment to prevent a recurrence of these practices during the 2024 Parcoursup session. The Ministry reserves the right to assess the actions to be taken based on the institution’s responses.
The director of Stanislas defends his establishment
The director of Stanislas, Frédéric Gautier, strongly defends his establishment on television sets, affirming that no one is harmed and that Stanislas students make their own decisions. He denies any insider trading and says there are plenty of places available for other students who want to apply. However, this defense appears to have difficulty convincing critics, especially among public sector teachers.
The Minister of Education’s early statements about her views on the relationship between the private and public sectors add a political dimension to the matter. Public sector teachers, already suspicious, see this affair as confirmation of their fears about a possible bias towards the private sector. The minister’s entourage is trying to calm tensions by emphasizing that her family, like others, followed the procedure prescribed by Stanislas and the steps planned by Parcoursup. However, this response does not appear to address questions about the fairness of the admissions process and the possible undue influence exerted by certain families.