French teachers protest class closures across regions

Teachers and staff at schools in several French departments, including Haute‑Loire, Charente‑Maritime, Tarn, Yvelines, Val‑d’Oise and Seine‑Saint‑Denis, have staged walk‑outs and demonstrations against the closure of classes and the reduction of school funding. They accuse the government of imposing illegal budget cuts and warn that they may extend their actions to the national Brevet examinations if demands are not met.

At the Collège René‑Caillié in Saintes, teachers announced a rally for the following day after the rectorate ordered the elimination of another class for the next school year, which they say would raise class sizes to 28 pupils or more. The staff condemned a series of closures dating back to 2023 and called for the cancellation of the new closure and additional resources for the school. A pre‑school‑year meeting on 31 August is planned to decide further actions, including the possibility of a strike.