Overview
- Olivier Andriès delivered the warning on January 14 during a Senate Economic Affairs Committee hearing.
- He faulted the 2019 baccalauréat reform that made mathematics optional for reducing the pool for scientific tracks and engineering schools.
- He said companies are already paying the price and cautioned that France could soon lack engineers.
- He reported an early drop in young women applying to scientific pathways, raising concerns about representation in technical fields.
- He argued that mathematics trains rational analysis for all students and criticized lowering standards to boost baccalauréat rates, saying selection simply shifts later.