Paris: Primary and secondary school teachers in France have called a strike for Tuesday over 4,018 job cuts, most of them in public schools. Christophe Gruson, national secretary of SNALC labor union, expressed concern, noting that nearly 1,900 cuts affect public nursery and elementary schools. He highlighted previous losses, stating that 470 primary school positions were lost last year.

According to Anadolu Agency, the cuts follow a projected 1.9% drop in primary school enrollment in 2026, equivalent to 116,800 fewer pupils. Gruson questioned the coherence of the Education Ministry's policy, citing Education Minister Edouard Geffray's call to limit class closures and reduce class sizes. Aurelie Gagnier, co-secretary of FSU-Snuipp, France's main primary school teachers' union, indicated that larger classes and more mixed-level teaching are inevitable.

France has the highest average primary class size among EU-OECD countries, with 22 pupils compared to an average of 19, according to Service-Public.fr. Gagnier questioned the future of class closures, noting that 2,000 closures were recorded last year. Unions fear widespread closures as positions are cut, said Francois Van Der Goten, an FSU-Snuipp representative.

The rectorate mentioned that the figures remain under discussion and that 'nothing is decided.' Gruson emphasized that the cuts are affecting academies already facing teacher shortages, arguing that there is no coherence in the Education Ministry's policy, and that children are the first to pay the price.