Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité – or Freedom, Equality, Fraternity – is the motto of the French Republic, and adorns the entrance to every French public school. But when it comes to education, these lofty ideals are, according to some, increasingly under strain. Challenges include everything from a chronic lack of qualified teachers to high dropout rates, while more than 15 percent of 15-year-olds struggle with basic maths and comprehension skills, leading to reduced professional opportunities later down the line. This week we travel to Lille in the north of France, a city with one of the highest dropout rates in the country.


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