Published
Update
Video length: 2 min
TRUE OR FALSE. Is there more absenteeism among teachers?
TRUE OR FALSE. Is there more absenteeism among teachers? – (franceinfo)
It is common to hear that teachers are often on sick leave. However, the figures do not confirm this prejudice. The lost lesson hours are rather due to dysfunctions within National Education.
According to an annual report on the state of the civil service, teachers are on sick leave less often than territorial and hospital civil service agents, for example. In 2022, nearly 5.5% of teachers were absent at least one day in a given week, approximately as many as private sector employees that year. However, sick leave is not the only cause of teacher absences.
The organization of National Education in question
A report from the Court of Auditors dated 2021 mentions “absences which come from the very functioning of National Education“, in particular the “institutional absences” for 20 to 40% of short-term absences in secondary education. This concerns, for example, exam monitoring. These absences, obligatory and planned, are however not all replaced. Replacement teachers are difficult to find. 2018-2019, middle and high school students would have lost 10% of lesson hours, again according to the Court of Auditors.
