Paris (AFP)

The Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer announced in the JDD the launch of a "Grenelle des teachers" to revalue the salaries of teachers and their working conditions.

"I am launching a Grenelle for teachers: by October, we will discuss the increase in salaries for 2021, thanks to the additional 400 million euros obtained" by the ministry to increase teachers' salaries, he explained. in a weekly interview. A smaller budget than the 500 million that Mr. Blanquer initially wanted to devote to it.

"The work of the second part of the five-year term is the upgrading of the profession on the financial level but more generally to improve well-being at work", he recalled. "Happy teachers are happy students. It is this virtuous circle that I want to strengthen."

For this, "from November, we will negotiate to define a multiannual programming law", announces the minister, while evoking "a profound transformation of the education system", which involves reflections on "human resources management" and the "place of teachers in society".

"As of this new school year, we are going to set up working groups, with trade unions, on three main objectives", adds Mr. Blanquer, citing "financial recognition", "cooperation" between teachers and "openness: we need to modernize our system ".

In early January, salary negotiations were launched with teachers as part of the pension reform but were suspended due to the health crisis.

In his interview with the JDD, the minister also tries to reassure before the start of the school year on Tuesday against the backdrop of a rebound in the epidemic.

"It will be a year as normal as possible," he explains, while acknowledging that some classes or schools will be closed Tuesday for the start of the school year. "There will be, but as little as possible," he said. "This is decided by a daily analysis from day to day, depending on the health situation of each territory."

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