We can expect a mobilization this Thursday, March 7, 2024, following the announcement of a large-scale strike by teachers' unions in Yvelines, according to actu.fr. The initiative, backed by an inter-union coalition, promises a day of mobilization marked by local actions in front of schools and department-wide general assemblies in the afternoon.
The day of protest will revolve around two key rallies on the preceding Wednesday, targeting the Direction académique des Yvelines in Guyancourt and the rectorat de Versailles. The aim of these demonstrations is to highlight teachers' demands in the face of increasingly precarious teaching conditions.
Demands focused on improving teaching conditions
The teachers' discontent stems from the fear of a particularly tense start to the 2024 academic year, anticipating a significant increase in student numbers without adequate human and financial resources to cope. "With almost 700 additional students expected next year, overcrowded classes with an average of thirty-five students are unfortunately becoming the norm," laments Etienne Brochard, co-secretary of SNES-FSU 78.
Also at the heart of concerns is the so-called "knowledge shock" reform, envisaged by education authorities. This reform, which includes the introduction of level groups and simplified repetition procedures, is seen as a further threat to pupils in difficulty and an affront to teachers' pedagogical freedom.
Uncompromising mobilization
Driven by a sense of urgency, teachers do not seem inclined to compromise. "Our approach is not to negotiate a compromise, but to demand a total withdrawal of the contested reforms," emphasizes Etienne Brochard. The scale of the strike looks set to be considerable, with repercussions expected throughout the department, particularly in towns such as Trappes, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Élancourt and Maurepas.
This mobilization testifies to a deep-seated malaise within the Yvelines educational community, which calls for awareness and concrete action on the part of the academic authorities and the Ministry of Education to preserve the quality of teaching and the well-being of students and teachers.
