Sarkozy law helps French schools stay open in strikes

WHILE strikes leave British parents juggling work alongside caring for their children, French schools have remained open during industrial action that cripple the country.

Thousands of teachers were among 1.3million people who took to the streets in France on Tuesday to protest against Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform. The education ministry said that about 26 per cent of teachers were on strike, while unions put the figure at over 50 per cent.

However, many schools, in particular primary schools, remained open as a result of a law passed in 2008 by Nicolas Sarkozy, the then president, which means that they must provide a “minimum service” for pupils.

The law, which aimed to keep a basic service in key sectors of daily life, was enacted to avoid the country grinding to a halt over Mr Sarkozy’s pension reform of the time. The changes prompted him to declare, somewhat optimistically: “When there’s a strike in France, nobody notices.”

The provision of this “service minimum” in the primary sector depends on how many teachers are on strike.

If less than 25 per cent of teachers take action, the school must stay open for children, even if it is not able to run all the usual lessons. If more than that figure are on strike, then the town hall has to organise an alternative way for the children to be looked after during school hours, by gathering them, for example, in leisure or sports centres.

Primary teachers wishing to strike must say so 48 hours in advance to allow schools the time to inform parents and make alternative arrangements.

At that point, the municipality then sends the local education authority a list of people who may be asked to supervise the children so that they can be vetted to see if they are suitable.