Growing Exodus from Public Schools: Families Increasingly Opt for Private Education
Paris, France – September 5, 2025 – A rising number of French families are abandoning the public school system, driven by concerns over academic standards, school climate, adn perceived lack of individualized attention. This trend, highlighted in a recent Le Figaro report, reveals a growing dissatisfaction with l’école publique and a willingness to incur significant financial burdens to secure private education for their children.
The shift is particularly pronounced among middle-class families who, while traditionally supportive of the public system, now express anxieties about their children’s future prospects. This escalating demand for private schooling raises critical questions about equity within the French education landscape and the potential for a two-tiered system,with long-term implications for social mobility and national cohesion. The phenomenon is fueled by a perception that private schools offer a more rigorous curriculum, smaller class sizes, and a more supportive habitat, despite the substantial tuition costs-averaging between €3,000 and €8,000 annually, depending on the school and region.
“The public school simply wasn’t meeting my daughter’s needs,” explained one parent interviewed by Le Figaro. “She was getting lost in the crowd, and I felt like her potential wasn’t being nurtured.” this sentiment echoes a common theme among families making the switch, who frequently enough cite concerns about bullying, disruptive classroom behaviour, and a lack of resources for students with special needs.
The trend is not limited to major cities like Paris; it is observable across France, with private school enrollment steadily increasing in both urban and rural areas.While precise national statistics are still being compiled, anecdotal evidence from private school administrators and parent associations confirms a surge in applications for the upcoming academic year.This growing demand is prompting some private schools to expand their facilities and increase tuition fees, further exacerbating the financial barriers to access.
