Teachers in Paris strike over planned school closures
Sector threatens further action with job cuts and class closures on the horizon
Over 100 schools were closed due to the strike
Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock
A major strike in the education sector today (February 11) was joined by many Parisian teachers, leading to the closure of schools in and around the capital.
The strike – called by the FSU-SNUipp, France’s largest union for primary education teachers – was attended by up to 60% of primary school teachers in the region, causing 170 schools to be closed.
The walkout is over plans to close up to 198 classrooms for the start of the 2025-2026 school year in the area, as well as end special dispensations for head teachers regarding time off.
Strike action was also being taken over plans to cut 470 jobs in the sector – over 100 of which are in Paris – despite prime minister François Bayrou promising to stop a planned 4,000 job cuts in the sector.
He removed the plans from the 2025 budget – initially included in the draft put forward by his predecessor Michel Barnier – to gather the support of the Socialist Party for his budget.
Read more: French budget is forced through parliament: how could it impact your finances
Further action likely
The sector has warned of further strikes – both in Paris and nationwide – over the growing issues.
“The mobilisation [in Paris] is going to grow,” said president of the FCPE Paris parents’ association Martin Raffet to Agence France Presse.
“Public schools are under attack, with fewer resources and fewer staff. We are really wondering whether this isn't a deliberate policy when we see how well public schools are doing,” he added. Over 500 classes have closed in three years in the capital.
He believes up to half of all schoolchildren in Paris will end up at private schools in the future if action is not taken to improve the quality of public education.
Read more: Strikes in France in February 2025 and how you may be impacted
