France announces education measures, including new teaching posts, $4.4B for school renovations

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - French Education Minister Edouard Geffray on Monday announced a series of measures to ease pressure on high school students, increase teaching staff and fund school renovations following renewed protests over the weekend.

Geffray said during a news briefing that the government would cancel 836 planned job cuts in public secondary education and create 500 additional teaching posts in high schools, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Geffray acknowledged that students face significant academic pressure linked to the Parcoursup university admissions platform, subject specialization choices and overcrowded classrooms.

“We must objectively reduce this school pressure; we must reduce the number of students per class,” he said.

The education minister confirmed that, starting in the 2027 school year, second-year high school classes will be capped at 28 students in the 50% of high schools serving the least advantaged communities. The measure will be extended to the remaining, more advantaged half from the 2028 school year.

Geffray also said Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu had decided to make an additional €4 billion ($4.4 billion) available through subsidized-interest loans to regional and departmental authorities to help finance renovations at middle and high schools.

The funding is intended to enable local authorities to secure financing on preferential terms and carry out renovation work more quickly, he said.

İlayda Çakırtekin