France’s education minister cancels 836 planned school job cuts and adds 500 teaching posts, alongside class-size limits and €4 billion in renovation loans

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced measures on Monday to ease academic pressure on high school students, increase teaching staff and support school renovations, following renewed student protests over the weekend. Broadcaster Bfmtv reported that the government will cancel 836 planned job cuts in public secondary education and create 500 additional teaching posts in high schools.

Geffray pointed to pressure associated with the Parcoursup university admissions platform, subject-specialization choices and overcrowded classrooms. He stressed the need to reduce the number of students per class. From the 2027 school year, second-year high school classes will be capped at 28 students in half of high schools serving the least advantaged communities. The cap is set to extend to the remaining, more advantaged schools from the 2028 school year.

Geffray also announced that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu had decided to make an additional €4 billion ($4.4 billion) available in subsidized-interest loans to regional and departmental authorities. The loans are intended to help finance and accelerate renovations at middle and high schools.