Blockade of High School Students: Replacement Teachers, Recruitment and Budget… Update on Edouard Geffray’s Announcements

Faced with the mobilization of high school students, the Minister of National Education detailed several measures on Thursday to compensate for the lack of teachers and strengthen the resources of educational establishments

Facing the mobilization of high school students, the government announced new measures. Thursday, the minister of National Education, Edouard Geffray, presented on TF1 a system including the deployment of 3,000 replacement teachers, additional recruitment and new financial resources. Here’s what we know.

Replacement teachers in priority high schools

The ministry plans to mobilize 3,000 replacement teachers in establishments facing the greatest difficulties. “We have 3,000 teachers substitutes who are currently not in front of the student. In the coming hours, they will join these establishments”, announced Edouard Geffray. Their deployment must take place in the hours and days to come.

To identify them high schools priority, the ministry is using new software deployed for the first time this fall. “There are 114 high schools which I would say are red, and 400 which are orange”, said the minister. This tool, requested a year ago, makes it possible to identify establishments in which the situation is particularly problematic.

Additional recruitment

The government also plans to relax recruitment opportunities. Edouard Geffray announced that he would authorize the education authorities to recruit more than what is notably authorized. This decision should make it possible to mobilize “a few hundred” additional teachers, in addition to the replacements already available.

Principals will also benefit from several hundred thousand overtime hours allocated in advance as part of the “teacher pact”. They will allow volunteer teachers to provide short-term replacements. The minister estimated the cost of all of these measures at “several tens of millions of euros” for 2026.

High school students consulted on the National Education budget

The minister also intends to take into account the demands of students in the preparation of the 2027 budget. A consultation platform, accessible since Monday evening, allows high school students to transmit their requests and concerns. The government plans to respond establishment by establishment, before drawing budget proposals. “This is the first time that our high school students will have an effect on the national education budget”, assured Edouard Geffray.

These announcements come as the high school mobilization continues. On Thursday, 71,500 demonstrators were recorded according to the Ministry of the Interior. A new day of action is planned for Tuesday October 13. The minister indicated that student contributions could lead to amendments to the finance bill concerning the National Education budget.