Overview
- Teachers across France staged a national strike Tuesday, with the Education Ministry reporting 9.68% of teachers on strike, while unions claimed around 25% overall and up to 30% in many primary schools.
- Unions said the cuts would close classes, swell class sizes, trim course options, and strain support for pupils with disabilities, as seen in local disruptions, parent blockades, and an 800-strong march in Marseille.
- The government plans about 4,000 teaching-post reductions for September 2026, including 1,891 in primary and 1,365 in secondary, with the Lille academy cited as among the most affected.
- Education Minister Édouard Geffray defended the plan by pointing to a sharp demographic drop, saying primary schools will have about one million fewer pupils between 2019 and 2029, and he said some local adjustments remain possible.
- Tension is rising as local “carte scolaire” decisions, which set class openings and closures, and DHG hourly allocations convert national cuts into school-by-school losses, and unions press for 2027 hiring and pay raises after years of frozen salaries.