French educators warn of public school system collapse

French educators and unions are raising alarms regarding the systemic decline of the public school system. Teacher Ophélie Roque has testified to a state of collapse characterized by a lack of resources, declining academic standards, and a loss of authority within the institution.

Simultaneously, the FSU-SNUipp union has criticized years of budgetary decisions that have led to closed classrooms and deleted teaching positions. The union argues that the ministry is using demographic shifts as a pretext for budget cuts. They advocate for maintaining teaching staff to reach an average of 18.2 students per class, aligning more closely with European standards.

Additional concerns were raised regarding inclusive education, with union representatives stating there is an insupportable gap between official inclusive school policies and the actual resources provided on the ground to support students.