School: a report reveals that French classes are the most overloaded in Europe

Considered “essential” by the Minister of National Education and Youth, Pap Ndiaye, the work of the Department of Evaluation, Forecasting and Performance (DEPP) to develop precise and reliable indicators, allows to contribute to international and European comparisons of the different educational systems. In its latest report published on December 22, some figures highlight the overcrowded classes in France.

Primary school: around 22 pupils per class in France

According to the data presented in the foresight and performance report (DEPP) entitled “Europe of education in figures 2022”, in primary schools, there are approximately 22 pupils per class. The average in the rest of the European countries is 19.3 pupils per class. France is therefore at the top of the rankings… Same observation in middle school, where there are an average of 26 students per class, while in the rest of the European Union there are around 21. As for high school, 70% of classes have more than 30 students, including 20% ​​more than 35. Figures known to teachers’ unions who have long been asking for a drop in numbers. Thus, the Snuipp-FSU and the SNES-FSU, claim a limitation of the number of students to 24 or 25 students. In priority education establishments, the unions hope for a limitation to 20 students to give children every chance of success. This is what Jennifer Plaud-Volante, director of an elementary school in the Yvelines, told us: “In theory, it would be great to have around twenty children per class at most. But in reality , we have 28 pupils per class – at least that’s the average in Ile-de-France. And yet, tests have shown that with 14 pupils per class the level of schooling would rise sharply, in particular concerning the acquisition of fundamentals (reading, writing, counting)”.

French schools: not enough teachers except in high school

The French education system suffers from many ills. If classes are overcrowded, teachers often struggle to make their voices heard on their issues. Thus, the report tells us that in France, there is one teacher for 23.2 pupils in kindergarten, one teacher for 18.4 children in elementary class, and one teacher for 14.6 children in middle school. It should be noted that in Germany there is one teacher for 14.9 pupils in primary school… As for the hours of lessons, contrary to popular belief, French teachers have an average of 900 hours per year in primary school and 720 in middle school. Much more than the European average which is displayed at 740 hours in elementary class and 659 in college. The cliché of the teacher who spends half his time on vacation is therefore very far from reality…