Content reserved for subscribers
At the invitation of the unions, nearly 120 teachers voted to launch a petition comprising four demands to improve the framework conditions.
Nearly 120 teachers responded to the unions’ invitation. © Charly Rappo
Published on 05/16/2024
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Friborg teachers are increasing pressure on cantonal authorities to meet the current needs of compulsory education. Gathered this Thursday evening at the Sarine Ouest Orientation Cycle, in Avry, at the invitation of Formation Friborg and the Public Service Union, they unanimously accepted the four demands submitted to them.
Teachers ask to be given time for the multiple tasks that add to the teaching itself. They want a reduction in class sizes or the strengthening of co-teaching. They need an improvement in the system for the integration of children in difficulty. Finally, they demand to be fully involved in discussions on digital education.
“Our demands must have weight”
Raphaëlle Giossi
The unions hope to gather 2,500 signatures, mainly from teachers, in order to make themselves heard. “Our demands must have weight and not be told that the problems raised only come from a few people,” says Raphaëlle Giossi, co-president of the umbrella organization of teachers’ associations.
More time
During the orientation cycle, class mastery units are already planned to meet constantly increasing specifications. They concern in particular the tasks of coordination, collaboration and other steps to ensure an inclusive school. The idea is to introduce these class mastery units also at primary level. “At the CO, we benefit from one hour per week but that is no longer enough,” says Christophe Gobet, teacher.
Linguistic gaps, behavioral problems, specific needs of students with disabilities: teachers are constantly confronted with them. They would like pilot classes to be opened quickly with smaller numbers or the establishment of co-teaching. After two years, a comparison could be made with a traditional class. Raphaëlle Giossi defends this approach. “You have to be patient. We want pilot classes first, because we know that extending this measure involves a significant budget. And then there are neither the teachers nor the premises available to achieve everything at once. You have to be realistic, first prove that it works and go little by little,” she explains.
2500
The number of signatures that unions hope to collect
Inclusive school returns in the third demand. “It’s a long road to get help,” laments Noémie Chevalley, primary school teacher. It mentions the student’s observation time, discussions with parents, administrative procedures to be undertaken… before waiting for the desired help. “And when someone finally steps in, it’s only for one or two units per week. Beyond that, we are alone,” she continues.
The unions admit that the State of Friborg already allocates considerable resources to inclusive schools. There are sometimes many speakers who revolve around a single student. In addition, social workers are now hired from primary school onwards. But they believe that we need to review this system, make it less energy-intensive, move away from individual care to encourage collective work.
SEnOF audit: All teachers will be able to express themselves on a web platform
Finally, digital education still worries teachers. “As it stands, it is too expensive a project, focused on equipment. Teachers must be better integrated into educational thinking. We are pleading for a participatory approach,” says Lionel Roche, union secretary at the SSP.
After 90 minutes of discussions around these four demands, the teachers present all accepted the approach. The petition will be submitted to the Department of Training and Cultural Affairs (DFAC) as well as to the Council of State.
Answers that are long overdue
Last November, a question from UDC MP Nicolas Kolly threw a wrench into the pond. “Fribourg school: what vadis?” he asked. The Council of State announced on April 24 that it had adopted and transmitted its response during its meeting the day before. Without publishing it in the following days, as is usually the case.
Information taken, publication would be imminent and it would only be a question of timing. State Councilor Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens, in charge of the Directorate of Training and Cultural Affairs (DFAC), has just launched the audit on the functioning of the French-language compulsory education service. She held a press conference on Monday about this. The results should be known at the beginning of 2025. In the meantime, a DFAC survey on teachers’ working hours, launched in November 2022, will also be published.
