EDUCATION & AUSTERITY

1. EDUCATION & AUSTERITY OR THE EDUCATION CRISIS FACED WITH AUSTERITY IN FRANCE

2. THE FRENCH-STYLE LIBERAL BELIEF SYSTEM • Public spending is, in itself, « bad » • Public spending should be curbed instead of increasing public resources Fear of the budget deficit is becoming obsessive!

3. THE FRENCH-STYLE LIBERAL BELIEF SYSTEM Solution to Reduce the Budget Deficit: the RGPP {General Review of Public Policies} This is: • Analysis of the missions and actions of the State • Implementing structural reform scenarios

4. THE FRENCH-STYLE LIBERAL BELIEF SYSTEM The aim of these structural reforms is • To adapt the government services to the needs of the users; • To make better use of the work carried out by civil servants; • To reduce public spending and restore budgetary balance and gain room for manoeuvre.

5. THE RGPP IN PRACTICE The RGPP means “not replacing one in every two civil servants taking retirement”! The RGPP means 150 000 fewer posts to provide the Public Service

6. SCHOOLS FROM 2007 TO 2012 SCHOOLS are viewed as a COST which should be curbed The demand being made is for YOUNG PEOPLE leaving the school and university system to be immediately USEFUL The present government advocates APPRENTICESHIPS to the detriment of school-based initial vocational training

7. SCHOOL FROM 2007 TO 2012 Collateral damage The dismantling of the structure of teacher training! Future teachers • Their (initial) academic education increases (see Bologna LMD system) • Professional training (teaching skills) is reduced to a few weeks Teachers in post • Disappearance of continuing education A crisis of vocation is becoming apparent! (places in competitive exams not filled)

8. THE EDUCATION GIVEN TO FRENCH SCHOOLCHILDREN IS FALLING APART! Not “democratisation of school”  just a simple “popularisation of education”  The austerity policy pursued against schools is increasing social inequalities

9. IN SCHOOLS FROM 2007 TO 2012 QUALITY HAS DECLINED… poor results of France in international comparisons by “PISA” 150 000 pupils a year dropping out for the last 10 years 50% failure rate of students in the “degree” course years (particularly in first year)

10. RGPP FOR EDUCATION While 80 000 teaching job cuts have been reported in the last 5 years… & tens of thousands of cuts were scheduled for the new term starting Sept. 2012 …. a new state of affairs came about in May 2012 !

11. CHANGE OF PRESIDENTIAL MAJORITY IN MAY 2012! The question of the balance of public finances is one of the factors of the matter, but not an « absolute » marker! Education is an investment !

12. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SCHOOLS A new “strategy direction” which will result in a “new framework law” (Autumn 2012) Commitment to recruit for 60 000 jobs in education in the new term of office (2012-2017) Organising a very open Social Conference on “Rebuilding the French School Education System” with the twofold concern of social justice and efficiency 

13. UNSA EDUCATION MAINTAINS THAT … School is an investment ! Lifelong learning is still a key issue ! Both for Unsa Education and for UNSA (national interprofessional trade union organisation)

14. UNSA EDUCATION … Agrees with the idea of increasing tax resources with a concern for social justice(calling into question past tax exemptions) This idea would make it possible to restore financing margins, even if they are limited !

15. UNSA EDUCATION ASSERTS THE IDEA THAT… …according to an “Inclusive school” rationale, a real “common basis” should be offered to all pupils (from 3 to 16 years of age), whatever their subsequent learning route, so that they are given the rudiments that enable them to act: as enlightened, free and responsible citizens, as future workers who have to acquire or develop working skills in a demanding economic, technical and constantly changing environment