In La Manche, several mathematics teachers are missing: poor colleges

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“Past participle, four and four make eight. Lessons in French, mathematics,” sang France Gall. However, the math lessons ont disappeared from the schedules of several little Manchois.

Five job searches

Au Beaumont-Hague college (delegated municipality of La Hague), to that of Saint-Sauveur-Villages (Manche), in particular, a teacher is missing. For several weeks now, classes have no longer had calculations lessons, geometry or problems to solve.

On the rectorate's website, five advertisements are actively looking for a teacher of this discipline in Manche. It is the most represented material in job offers.

No solution

Faced with this situation, the directions of the colleges concerned make “no comment”. THE rectoratefor his part, ensures that he is “fully mobilized” for the search for candidates to vacant positions. But impossible to have figures.

Replacement needs vary considerably depending on territories, disciplines and personnel movements. A photograph frozen in one moment does not reflect the dynamic reality of assignments in the academy.

She barely concedes that mathematics like the letters or physical sciences “may be affected by recruitment tensions. THE necessary deadlines to make a replacement depend on many factorsnotably the availability of replacement staff et location of the establishment. »

Difficult to bring teachers from all over the world? Maybe, but the argument doesn't calm the anger of parents. Especially since “the situation was predictable”, they explain.

“A problem in the attractiveness of our professions”

“My child’s math teacher is retired in end of school year. At the start of the school year, a new teacher took over the position. But she had still taught in high schooland was only two months away from retirement. In September and Octobershe therefore provided lessons at a level at which she had never taught and, after All Saints' Day holidaysshe in turn went into retirement. But no solution was anticipated and, since the start of the school year, our children have not had mathematics lessons,” explains a mother of a student at the Hague Dike middle school in Beaumont-Hague.

The argument of the situation is not convincing either the unions of teachers.

Of course it is more difficult to bring a teacher to our countryside than to the city. But above all there is a problem in the attractiveness of our professions. The tension is palpable in teacher competitions, there are fewer and fewer candidates!

And when you have a master's degree in mathematics in the Cotentin“other professions have arguments, notably financiersmuch more convincing,” smile ironically the teachers’ unions.

The return of home schooling?

Helpless in the face of this shortage of professors, teachers and college management do their best to impact students as little as possible.

” The principal ensures to telephone the rectorate every day to ask for a replacement”, assure the parents of students at Beaumont college. But nothing to do, since November 4, 2024i.e. the start of the All Saints' Day vacation, the chair behind the desk in the classroom is empty.

In an email that La Presse de la Manche has been obtained, the management team details:

Recruitment of a teacher for mathematics hours has not yet been successful. Two people applied but ultimately gave up. We are currently studying other possibilities within the establishment, but this may take a little time in terms of consultation and reorganization.

The teachers are called upon to take each class of 3^e an hour “for support them in using the tools which it will make available in its courses accessible on the ENT”. Parents are also called to develop their educational talents.

« Pour families who have the possibility of accompanying their child at home, I was able to find tools that were easy to use (including independently for the students). I'm waiting fora free manual online or in royalty-free PDF that is convenient for you to use,” the college writes in the email.

A “D system”, which could become a habit. Teaching without a teacher could become a new trend.

In 2024, according to statistical data from external competitions from Capes, at the national level, out of 5,122 positions offered, 4,487 candidates were admitted. In mathematics, only 831 were admitted for 1,040 positions.

Salary is one of the keys to an attractive profession. Today, a beginning teacher will earn 1,842 euros net, or 1.3 times the minimum wage. In the 1980s, teachers earned more than twice the minimum wage. Between 2001, when 44,265 candidates applied, and 2023, when there were only 11,269, the number of candidates for the external Capes competition increased dropped by 75%.

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