Paris teachers rebel against Socialists’ school reform

France 24

AFP photo/ERIC FEFERBERG

A majority of primary schools were closed on Tuesday in the French capital, as angry Paris-region teachers went on strike to protest again President François Hollande’s first major reform to the country’s school system.

The measure, which calls for reducing the amount of class time during the school day and adding an additional half-day on Wednesday, would go into effect in September 2013. In the current system, French primary schools operate on a four-day schedule, with no classes on Wednesday.

Striking teachers say the reform does nothing to improve the quality of education for children, and will simply force teachers to spend more time at the workplace with no compensation.

“I personally did not expect much from Hollande, but a lot of fellow teachers are very disappointed,” said Laurent, a teacher in Paris's 13th district and a member of the SNUipp union on strike. “What the Socialist government is offering has nothing to do with the big promises that were made. Nothing they’re offering is good.”

Teachers overwhelmingly voted in favour of Hollande in last year’s presidential election, encouraged by the Socialist candidate’s promise to overhaul the entire school system and invest heavily in education.

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