Benjamin Peter (on site), edited by Solène Leroux 12:38 p.m., February 09, 2022

A QR code to report absent teachers.

In the Pyrénées-Orientales, teachers and parents of pupils have created a form available online to allow families to request replacements directly from the rectorate and the school inspectorate.

REPORTING

Teacher not replaced?

Scan!

The poster is posted in front of the 313 schools in the Pyrénées-Orientales department on the initiative of parents of FCPE and SNUipp pupils, the main union for primary school teachers.

Just below, a QR code that links to a form.

"The parent puts his name, his first name, the name of the school and the level concerned", explains Frédéric Traby of SNUipp 66. "The goal is not to point the finger at an absent teacher, since there is no is strictly for nothing, but to warn of the lack of replacements."

The form then makes it possible to send an e-mail to the rectorate, to the academic inspection and to the parliamentarians of the department.

Avoid tension

This is a problem that many families have faced in recent weeks.

With the very strict health protocol, it is impossible to distribute children to other classes in case of absence.

If no replacement is found, parents are forced to keep their children at home.

"You have a teacher who is absent, the whole class suffers the consequences and has to go home," says Rémy Landri of FCPE 66. "It's a real problem for parents who have to organize at the last moment, and ask questions about school progress, about the real level of the children", he continues.

© BENJAMIN PETER / EUROPE 1

For Frédéric Traby, this leads to misunderstandings and tensions between parents and teachers.

"We are all in the same boat. The problem is really the lack of replacement resources," he regrets.

"It's a national protocol so teachers, directors and assistants have nothing to do with it. Last week, there were nearly 200 classes closed in the department. In concrete terms, there were 200 replacements missing."

800 teachers absent last week

“It is really up to the public authorities today to give the right answers concerning these problems inherent in the health crisis”, adds Rémy Landri.

And they are calling for more substitute teachers.

There are just over 200 for the entire Montpellier Academy, of which the Pyrénées-Orientales department is a part.

But last week in this academy, nearly 800 teachers were absent.