Government and unions sign agreement on primary school teacher careers
Pubblicato: 27 July 1998
An agreement on the status of primary school teachers in France was signed on 10 July 1998 by ministers and two trade unions. The deal seeks to end a long-running dispute about these teachers' career development.
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An agreement on the status of primary school teachers in France was signed on 10 July 1998 by ministers and two trade unions. The deal seeks to end a long-running dispute about these teachers' career development.
Nine years ago the status of "primary school teacher" (professeur des écoles,) was created. This is the status given to newly-recruited teachers. However, the same status was not automatically allocated to existing primary school teachers (instituteurs) on the basis that they had fewer years of training. The upgrading of the latter group's positions has since been going ahead, but far too slowly in the opinion of the trade unions. This situation has been seen as an injustice by longer-serving primary school teachers and has led to numerous strikes and demonstrations (FR9802197N).
An agreement on the status of primary school teachers was signed on 10 July 1998 by Claude Allègre, the Minister for National Education, by Ségolène Royal, he junior minister in charge of primary education, and by two unions - the Syndicat des Enseignants, the teachers' union affiliated to the FEN federation, and SGEN, the General National Education Union affiliated to CFDT. A third union, SNUIPP (affiliated to FSU), abstained.
Under the terms of the agreement, career development for primary school teachers will be accelerated, starting in September 1999, which means that the number of old-status teachers (instituteurs) moving up to the new status (professeur des écoles) will nearly double from 14,850 to 20,735. This process will be complete in 2007, giving a single status to all primary school teachers. It will be achieved through internal competitive exams and an aptitude list.
At a press conference, Mr Allègre stressed that the conclusions reached in the talks not only represented "an improvement in teachers' careers" but also in the "education system." The agreement is in line with the development of primary school education, especially that of school timetables and "in this context," the Minister assured "the profession of primary school teacher" will change.
The secretary general of the FEN, Hervé Baro, stated that around 80% of all primary school teachers were in favour of this agreement.
Eurofound raccomanda di citare questa pubblicazione nel seguente modo.
Eurofound (1998), Government and unions sign agreement on primary school teacher careers, article.
