Emmanuel Macron wants to better pay teachers

In an interview with Parisian this January 4, Emmanuel Macron reviewed the working time of teachers and their remuneration. “Teaching time in France is not satisfactory in relation to the number of teachers hired“notes the President, referring to the recent report of the Court of Auditors published in December 2021, according to which the budget allocated to National Education “does not produce the expected effects in terms of educational performance“. Faced with this” too rigid system “, Emmanuel Macron believes thatwe must “revalue salaries, of course, but above all rethink the function”. As in Marseille where an experiment has been launched, school directors could be free to recruit their teachers, on the basis of an educational project. The Head of State also wishes “pay better for what teachers already do, reward good work, and distinguish those who do a good job from those who do an even better job “, did he declare. Teachers who get involved in priority education networks for example receive a fixed premium of 400 euros, as well as another flexible premium of up to 600 euros net. According to him, teachers who invest in innovative educational projects, organize extracurricular outings or maintain the link between parents and teachers should be able to benefit from additional remuneration.

French teachers less well paid

According to the report Education at a Glance published by the OECD this September 16, the salaries of mid-career teachers stagnated in France between 2010 and 2020 and remain well below the average of the 38 OECD countries. They thus stagnated or increased only by 1% between 2010 and 2020 in elementary and secondary education, while they increased by 6 to 7% on average in OECD countries. However, a catch-up was made from 2015, with an increase of four percentage points in the statutory salary over the period 2015-2020. The OECD notes that salary progression is slow at the start of a career and that teachers in the middle of their career are “particularly disadvantaged”. At the start of the 2019 school year, the salary of elementary and secondary teachers in France after 10 or 15 years of service was therefore at least 15% lower than the average for OECD countries.. However, this difference diminishes at the end of the course because French salaries at the end of their career are 76% higher than at the start, against 66% for the OECD average.

Revaluation of teachers’ salaries: how much?

The Minister of National Education had in turn specified in the Parisian that the increase in teachers was a measure already announced. “This is what we have started. Their salary will have increased much more between 2017 and 2022 than between 2012 and 2017 (…) A professor who previously earned 1,700 euros now earns 1,869 euros net. And within two or three years, no new teacher will start his career below 2000 euros net per month“On August 25, he declared that an envelope of 245 million euros, intended for the upgrading of teachers would be provided for in the 2022 budget.. The Minister of National Education indicated that the attractiveness bonuses will range from 57 euros net per month for teachers with one to two years of career, to 29 euros for teachers with 14 to 22 years of career. This upgrading will concern both primary and secondary teachers. Thanks to this measure, nearly 58% of teachers will see their salaries increase in 2022. “C‘is a desire to promote the teachers and staff of the National Education, because there was significant catching up in purchasing power to be made, especially for the youngest (…) Our goal is to no longer have teachers paid below 2000 euros net within a few years“Jean-Michel Blanquer told us on August 27th. Coming from the Grenelle de l’Éducation, the attractiveness bonus has been paid since May to teachers at the start of their careers and who have up to fifteen years of seniority. and represents an amount between 41 and 116 euros per month.

A decree concerning the upgrading of teachers

On March 2, Jean-Michel Blanquer had already signed a decree concerning the upgrading of school teachers, principal educational advisers (CPE) as well as psychologists from National Education (PsyEN) at the start of their career. “There are increases that have already taken place, and bonuses planned for the younger teachers: 100 euros more per month, (since May, editor’s note), for the attractiveness bonus“Jean-Michel Blanquer announced on France Inter.

Attractiveness bonus: 100 euros for beginning teachers

Half of the overall envelope, i.e. 200 million euros, has been devoted to allocating a attractiveness bonus for early-career professors. Modular and degressive, it concerns all teaching and similar bodies in public and private education under contract (school teachers, certified, agrégés, national education psychologists and CPE at the start and middle of their career. ). This attractiveness bonus concerns 31% full professors, during their first 15 years of career, then decreasing according to seniority. Thereby, a beginning teacher is increased by 100 euros net monthly. Contractual employees at the start of their careers earn an additional 54 euros net each month. The objective of this bonus, which entered into force from May 2021, is to be able to offer better remuneration to beginning teachers while enhancing the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This budget also allows for new recruitments. Finally, this helps to facilitate installation in the new teaching functions and the smooth development of the first years of the career. From 2022, this bonus will be extended to professors with up to 22 years of seniority and will represent 57 euros net per month for the youngest teachers, and 29 euros for mid-career teachers.

Computing equipment premium: 150 euros for all

Since January 2021, a computer equipment bonus of 150 euros net has been paid each year to teachers and psychologists from the National Education Department.. This amount is fixed and identical whether one is a trainee, holder, contractual, on CDI or CDD, full or part time, and whether one works in a public or private establishment. A bonus that allows them to acquire or renew their computer equipment in two or three years: computer, software, or even printer. The ministry underlines through its press release the importance of equipping teaching staff “in computers and adapted software “.” A necessity which was reinforced during the health crisis, with the development of distance education “. Why a premium and not directly from the material? “Taking into account the diversity of the needs and the equipment of each one, it is preferable that each professor perceives a premium which allows him to buy the equipment most suited to his needs”.

School directors: compensation of 450 euros

An exceptional allowance of 450 euros has been granted to school directors since November 2020. This is a one-off payment, intended for “recognize their attributions and the particular constraints which weighed on them during this new school year”. This compensation, which is intended “a lasting increase” of directors’ salaries, concerns 45,000 principals in office during the month of September 2020 for a total amount of almost 21 million euros. This compensation is perpetuated for the start of the 2021 school year.

Grenelle de l’Education: what is it?

the Grenelle of Education tackles increasing teachers’ salaries and aims to enhance their profession, at a period which is all the more necessary after the assassination of Samuel Paty. “The Grenelle of education opens under special circumstances. Through the assassination of a history and geography professor, our entire institution was struck in the heart“, underlined Jean-Michel Blanquer in a press release of October 22. “The recognition of our staff obviously requires a revaluation of remuneration“with 500 million euros (over a full year) provided for in the 2021 law for improve salaries, especially at the start of a career. Teachers will also benefit from better support, better listening, team spirit will be strengthened to fight against the feeling of isolation, specified the Minister. “Create bridges, identify talents, encourage experimentation, seize digital opportunities: so many avenues for progress to bring National Education into the 21st century“.

The objective of this Grenelle education? Putting the teacher at the center of society. “Today, there is a subject of protection of teachers but also of recognition of teachers. This question existed before and we must give it an answer“declared Jean-Michel Blanquer Wednesday, October 21 in the Senate. This Grenelle of Education “is based on key words, that of financial recognition, cooperation, that is to say teamwork, modernization and protection“he added. Beyond this increase in teachers’ salaries “which will particularly affect the youngest, but which could also affect all teachers, is the transformation of our system, in particular for local human resources, in other words a national education system much less anonymous, much more attached to what happens to each teacher and to follow him in his career, which will show the gratitude of the country to all the teachers and beyond all the measures that we will take ”.