The essentials
Nearly seven in ten French secondary schools face staff vacancies with minimal year-over-year improvement.
France's secondary education system faces significant staffing gaps, according to survey data from Snes-FSU. 69% of French secondary schools report incomplete pedagogical or educational staff, with 53% of middle and high schools lacking at least one teacher. The shortage persists despite ongoing efforts, with comparisons to the previous year showing minimal improvement in 2026. These vacancies span across multiple subject areas and grade levels, affecting the continuity of instruction across the country's schools.
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Two-thirds of secondary schools operating below full staffing capacity
The data reveals the breadth of the staffing crisis: 69% of secondary schools report incomplete staff and 53% lack at least one teacher. These figures underscore how widespread the shortage has become across France's education system, affecting a majority of institutions rather than isolated cases.
Staffing shortages persist despite efforts toward resolution
Snes-FSU's comparison between 2026 and the previous year shows minimal improvement, indicating the shortage remains a structural challenge. Despite policy interventions and recruitment efforts, the scale of vacancies has not substantially decreased, suggesting deeper systemic issues in teacher supply and retention.