Teacher Competition Applications โคSurge, โฃBut Expertsโ Urgeโ Caution
Recent figures reveal a significant increase โขin applications for French teacher โฃcompetitions, prompting โขdebate over weather this represents genuine progress in addressing teacher shortages or an “artificial”โค boost.
A total of 116,268 applications were received for teh bac + 3 teacherโฃ competitions (66,451 for bac + 3 and โข49,817 โคfor bac + 5). additionally,121,274 applications โwere registered for secondaryโข level competitions aimed at โteachers,educational advisors,and psychologists,with 64,511 specifically for the external โteacher โcompetitions coexisting at bothโ bac + 3 and bac โ+ 5 levels.
รdouard Geffray acknowledged these โขnumbers as “quite considerable,” but cautioned againstโ assumingโข they guarantee “a teacher in front ofโ each class”โข by the start of the 2027 school year.
Several union representatives echoed โthis sentiment.โ Muriel โฃCoretโ of SNESup-FSU stated, “These figures are a little artificial.” She explained the increaseโข is largely due to โคthe introduction of two competition sessions and theโ ability for studentsโข in L3, M1, and M2 programs to apply for multiple levels. “Most of ourโฃ M2 students told us that they registered โfor both sessions,” she added, emphasizingโข that theโ increase doesn’t necessarily signal a resolution to the recruitment crisis.
Caroline Brisedoux, โขnational secretary of CFDT Education, also expressed caution, questioning howโฃ many applicantsโฃ will actually participateโ in the competition and remain in their assigned positions, particularly given currentโ working conditions. “If we do not improve working conditions and remuneration, we will not be able to keep people,” she stated.
Despite these reservations, there โฃis agreement that the competition reform is a positive step towards diversifying the teaching workforce. รdouardโฃ Geffray believes the changes will broaden theโ applicant pool in terms of social background, stating, “the earlier we recruit in studies, theโค less discriminatory we are in relation to social level.”
Aurรฉlie Gagnier,โข general secretary of the FSU-SNUipp union,โ concurred, noting that moving the competition to โbac + 5 previously limited access for students from less advantaged backgrounds. However, she stressed the importance of maintaining rigorous training standards, advocating for “demanding” programs led by qualifiedโ researchers and university professors.
Both the bac + 3 andโฃ bac + 5 โฃcompetitions will continue to โrun concurrentlyโฃ in 2027, with โthe bacโข + 5 competition slated for elimination in 2028. While teacher representatives welcome the increased applicant numbers,they remain focused on securing tangibleโค improvements in staffing levels and working conditions.