Key facts
- French 15-year-olds' maths and reading scores are at a record low, below the OECD average.
- Nearly 10% of teaching hours in French state schools were unstaffed in 2024/25 due to teacher absences.
- 10-20% of French school buildings are in a significantly deteriorated condition.
- Pension spending in France is projected to reach 14% of economic output next year.
- Pupils from 'very advantaged' families accounted for 40.2% of under-contract private school attendees in 2021.
- The French government's education budget for 2027 is €64 billion, with pensions adding 28% to teacher costs.
Wealthier French families are increasingly opting for private schools as the public education system grapples with declining performance, persistent teacher strikes, and underfunding exacerbated by rising pension costs. The issues have fueled protests and a growing sentiment that the state school system is unreliable.
Performance in French state schools has slipped significantly, with maths and reading levels for 15-year-olds reaching a record low below the OECD average. In the 2024/25 school year, nearly 10% of teaching hours were unstaffed, largely due to the non-replacement of absent teachers. A 2025 report by Banque des Territoires indicated that between 10% and 20% of school buildings are in a state of significant deterioration.
Experts attribute the struggles partly to a growing pensions bill that diverts resources from other priorities. France's education budget for 2027 is set at €64 billion, but teachers' pensions add an additional 28% to this cost. Total government spending on pensions is projected to reach €436 billion, or 14% of economic output, next year, growing faster than other public expenditures over the past two decades. Economist Erwann Tison stated that pension spending "cannibalises" the education budget, leading to below-average salaries for early-career teachers and contributing to strike actions.
The shift towards private education is evident in enrollment figures. Over 2 million children, or 17.6% of all pupils, attend 'under-contract' private schools, which have more control over staffing and admissions. While the overall proportion of students in these schools has risen modestly, the percentage of children from wealthier families has increased substantially. In 2021, pupils from 'very advantaged' families accounted for 40.2% of attendees, up from 26.4% in 2000. Sociologist Louis Chauvel noted that while ambitious families once aimed for the public sector, private institutions are now often seen as the better route to maximize children's chances.