French teachers plan major strike action next week

Teachers across France are planning strike action next week over job and funding cuts scheduled for the 2026-2027 school year. 

Action will take place across the week (March 30 - April 3), including rallies, local strike action, and discussions with parents in a bid to help them understand the reason for the strikes. 

In addition, a national strike day is planned on March 31, which is likely to see many schools across the country closed. 

Unions are encouraging action on this date, as long as it does not conflict with already-organised action. 

The 2026 budget plans for some 4,000 job cuts in the education sector, largely for teaching jobs as overall pupil numbers are falling. The unions are rallying against these job cuts, instead saying a reduction in pupil numbers represents an opportunity to reduce class sizes and improve education standards.

The movement “demonstrates the determination to denounce choices that run counter to the necessary improvement of working conditions for staff and learning conditions for students,” said the SNES-FSU union on their website.

“Colleagues remain available for action and strikes, and the union victory over the optional ability grouping of classes proves that the struggle is paying off,” it added.

This references previous action over measures introduced in 2024 by then-Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, which saw Maths and French classes for pupils in years 6 and 5 (the start of lycée, around ages 11 - 13) split into skill level and ‘need’ level.

Prior to this, all subjects were treated the same with students being assigned to classes randomly (not based on ability), with the idea that mixed classes help pull students up together.

From the 2026-2027 school year, using ability/needs-based classes for French and Maths will become optional.

Action already taking place 

The education sector has already seen a number of mobilisations this year against plans for the 2026-2027 school year included in the budget. 

Strike action and walkouts in Lille, Bordeaux, Paris and overseas territories have already taken place, and earlier in March a ‘dead schools’ movement saw 95% of parents keep their children home in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department.

Strikes are planned on Thursday (March 26) in the Poitiers and Aix-Marseille academies. 

These academies cover several departments each but do not correspond to France’s mainland regions – for example, Poitiers includes Charente, Charente-Maritimes, Deux-Sèvres, and Vienne. 

A list of academies and departments can be seen here.

Will schools be closed? 

Information on whether schools will be closed due to a lack of staff will be available closer to the strike action, with unions set to release expected walkout figures on March 30 (teachers must announce in advance if they plan to strike).

At primary level (maternelles and écoles), schools and local communes must accept children from parents due to minimum service requirements in place.

However, the exact requirements depend on the number of teachers on strike. 

If fewer than 25% of teaching staff are striking, children are welcomed to the school as usual, although classes may be disrupted.

However if more than 25% of teaching staff are on strike and schools cannot open safely, it is up to mairies to organise the service, usually looking after children in a public place like local gymnasium or town hall. 

At lycées and collèges minimum service rules are not in place.

Schools can remain open even if some classes are cancelled due to strike action.

However, they may close if enough teaching staff walk out meaning parents will have to arrange their own childcare for the day. It is up to the schools to decide if they close or not.

Parents are encouraged to contact schools prior to the strike to find out the expected status and if they must make alternative arrangements.