Back to school: 69% of middle and high schools returned to school with an incomplete team, according to a Snes-FSU survey

69% of French middle and high schools returned to school last week with an incomplete team, according to the Snes-FSU survey that franceinfo revealed on Monday September 7. Two thirds of secondary schools are lacking at least one staff member, whether a teacher, a principal education advisor (CPE), a psychologist, a support person for students with disabilities (AESH) or an education assistant (AED).

This is less than last year, at the same period, when there was a shortage of at least one staff in 73% of establishments. “These are the positions that have not been filled for which National Education has not placed someone, or the medium or long-term replacements,” Sophie Vénétitay, secretary general of Snes-FSU, said on franceinfo on Monday.

“The situation therefore remains very degraded due to a lack of sufficient staff,” warns the main union of secondary school teachers in the public. The Snes-FSU "recalls that it is not possible to envisage an improvement in the results of our education system without providing a strong response to the question of human resources", on the eve of the publication of the OECD Pisa study on the academic level of students.

“Two out of three [secondary] establishments have an incomplete team!” insists the Snes-FSU which denounces a “generalized shortage”. In detail, there is a shortage of at least one teacher in more than half of public establishments (53%). “Contrary to the minister's optimistic speeches, there is not a teacher in front of each class at the start of the school year,” denounces the union. Last year, as of September 4, at least one teacher was missing in 55% of middle and high schools. As for the disciplines, at the start of the school year, the situation is particularly tense in mathematics, French, physics-chemistry and even English.

The union also denounces a “crisis of inclusive schools” which is “confirmed”. According to the survey, at least one AESH is missing in 17% of middle and high schools. There is also a shortage of a school psychologist in 16% of establishments "at a time when the ministry and the government are making mental health a major national cause".

These recruitment problems affect all academies, even if they are not all in the same boat. In the Versailles academy, more than 70% of establishments are missing at least one teacher. The academies of Toulouse (66.70%), Nantes (61.70%) and Créteil (61.10%) are also very affected. The situation is less tense in Amiens with 23.10% of establishments concerned, or in Reims with 26.30%.

“The competitions have not been completely filled. There are nearly 440 positions which have not been filled in the competition for secondary education. We are now experiencing a structural shortage of teachers for several years,” explains Sophie Vénétitay.

This year, the union also points out the fact that in nearly four out of five establishments, “no adaptation of the building is envisaged” to cope with episodes of heat and heatwaves. “In the vast majority of establishments, nothing has changed since the end of the last school year and there is no prospect for the coming months,” denounces the union. In middle and high schools where actions are carried out, "the use of fans, air blowers or mobile air conditioners appears much more frequent than thermal renovation", regrets the Snes-FSU.