Teachers “work a lot”, defends the Minister of National Education, after the controversial remarks of Nicolas Sarkozy

Anne Genetet responded on Monday to the former president, who accused school teachers of only working “six months a year” in front of their students “between vacations and weekends.”

“We cannot say that our teachers work little.” The Minister of National Education, Anne Genetet, estimated, Monday, November 11, that teachers “work a lot, in sometimes very difficult conditions”three days after former President Nicolas Sarkozy claimed that school teachers only work “six months a year”.

Questioned by AFP, Anne Genetet did not wish “judge” the words of the former head of state. Evoking “teachers who are motivated, passionate, committed to the success of their students”she recalled that “French school teachers work 30% more per year than their German counterparts”. Before launching: “We must support our teachers, our management staff. No support should be lacking.”

Nicolas Sarkozy, who prides himself on having reduced “155 000″ the number of civil servants when he was at the Elysée, shocked the left and the unions on Friday by denouncing the “implausible demagoguery” of those who demand more hiring in National Education. “The status of school teacher (…) is 24 hours a week” et “6 months of the year”, “between holidays and weekends”, he affirmed, while recognizing that“you have to prepare for lessons” et “correct the copies”.