The frontal attack by right-wing mayors against the “Peillon” reform of school rhythms with the slogan “boycott” (the Mayor of Nice and his loyal mayors of the municipalities of the Nice Cรดte d’Azur metropolis went so far as to declare the “non-application of the law”) risks falling apart after the presentation of the survey conducted by the Association of Mayors of France (AMF) on 4,000 municipalities that have already implemented it.
The survey shows that 83% of mayors are satisfied, that there are difficulties, as with any implementation of change, but they are surmountable. Ultimately nothing new under the sun.
If we depoliticize the debate, we see that the cost, presumed “unbearable” by UMP mayors, is not as claimed (350 euros per child per year) but falls within a median range that limits its burden on municipalities to 1/3, the remainder being covered by the State and Family Allowance Funds.
Another critical point of the reform is the behavior of teachers, sometimes caricatured as a monolithic block opposed to the change in rhythms.
According to the survey, and despite last week’s strike, they are actually lending a helping hand. However, many officials declare that teachers’ “resistance” to the reform exacerbates their difficulties. Of course, difficulties and dysfunctions exist both in supervision (especially of the youngest) and in extracurricular activities.
Municipalities must review the organization of activities as well as free time management and fund them even partially; families must coordinate work and family life differently (especially for parents who are both working), and teachers (who also have families) must work five days instead of four.
Everyone is disrupted, but why make it a major political issue instead of seeking corrections to implement this reform in the interest of the overlooked beneficiaries, the children.
As a reminder: The four-day week has made France the country with the longest school day (- hours) and the shortest school year (144 hours compared to 187 on average in the OECD). No country practices four days: the Netherlands are at 4 1/2, but most are at 5 days and some German Lรคnder up to 6 days.
The only valid way to approach the reform is “keeping the child’s interest in mind.” The elected officials feel that the State has “passed on” the responsibility of its reform to them. It’s up to them to take responsibility.
