Sophie Béjean, rector of the Montpellier academy, presented her priorities for the 2025/2026 school year.
As at the start of each year, academy rector Sophie Béjean met with elected officials from Gard. The first opportunity to take stock of the past year. One of the academy's priorities is the training of all educational staff in secularism, a major issue in today's schools. More than 28,000 people already trained at the academy, which represents 60% of the workforce. “This gives them a legal basis by relying on concrete situations on the ground: contesting teaching with the refusal of an element of the program or non-participation in certain activities. No teacher should feel alone”explains the rector.
Another worrying subject: harassment. Thus, the Phare program, the harassment prevention plan for schools, is generalized with the establishment of five reference adults. Six full-time positions dedicated to harassment prevention were also created. Concerning the success of the students, Sophie Béjean recalled the training courses dedicated to the professions of tomorrow and the challenges of the territory such as that on nuclear power in Bagnols. The “Ambition Études Santé” system was implemented in Alès to encourage young people to aim for health professions and fight against medical deserts.
“No cuts to teaching positions”
On the subject of equal opportunities, the educational city of Nîmes has been extended to Mas de Mingue and Chemin-Bas-d'Avignon with doubled credits. Bessèges and Saint-Ambroix have obtained the Rural Educational Territory label. Without forgetting, the University of Nîmes transformed into an experimental public establishment. National Education wants to ride the wave of the Paris Olympic Games by maintaining 30 minutes of physical activity per day in primary school.
For the coming year, the rector is delighted to see, Élisabeth Borne, Minister of National Education, “minister of state, number two in the government. Which shows the place that education takes as a clearly stated priority. » Sophie Béjean is satisfied with the first announcements, “Overall, no reduction in teaching positions and the creation of 2,000 AESH (accompanying students with disabilities) positions is very positive. »
-3,200 fewer students in the academy at the start of the 2025 school year
In terms of resources, for the start of the 2025 school year, the Montpellier academy will have 28 jobs for secondary education and only ten jobs removed for primary education. “Very good news”for the rector, in a context of significant demographic decline. More than 3,200 fewer students expected for the 2025/2026 school year. Since 2020, nearly 1,000 teaching jobs have been allocated to the academy, for a drop in enrollment of 6,000 students over the same period.
Additional resources which should allow the opening of Ulis systems, for the education of students with disabilities and the improvement of the replacement of absent teachers. In terms of security in establishments, a plan for school tranquility has been put in place with new means deployed. Since the beginning of January, 10 additional senior education advisor (CPE) positions and 32 educational assistant (AED) positions have been distributed across 50 establishments.
Next major meeting at the education level, the announcement of the planned closures and openings to the unions, for the next school year, on February 10. And the Departmental Council of National Education, on March 11, to ratify these decisions.
