Teachers march against cuts

PRIMARY school teachers have been marching against staff cuts and class closures planned for this autumn.

Accompanied by parents and some politicians, around 500 teachers protested yesterday outside the Education Ministry, against plans to axe 9,000 jobs and close 1,500 classes.

The general secretary of the leading primary union, SNUipp, Sébastien Sihr, said: “If the government continues to apply the non-replacement of one retiring government worker in two then 5,000 classes will close in 2012.”

He said the only solution was for protests to be held all over France.

According to Mr Sihr, the lost posts will include 600 in RASEDs (special units for children with educational difficulties) which he said would mean 30,000 primary school children would no longer benefit from this support.

Several teachers said cuts in recent years meant it is increasingly difficult to replace a teacher when they are absent.

An MP from Calvados, Laurent Dumont, was among those protesting. He said his local authority area was one of the worst affected. “It is well-known that if you take away funding from education, then you will see the effects in 20 years’ time.”

He said however he had only a “slim hope” that the protest, or others, would influence the government, which is working out its budget for 2012.

© Monkey Business - Fotolia.com