French unions brace against anti-social reforms | WPN World People News

While economic, social and educational reform plans are stirring up heated debates in France, the countries’ two largest education unions, UNSA Education and SNES-FSU, hold their congresses this week in Grenoble.

Laurent Escure, General Secretary of UNSA Education, told the delegates on Tuesday that the country must finally turn the page of a school system which is dysfunctional. For too long governments have ignored the fact that 20% of young people do not complete their school carreer while only 5 to 10% benefit from the system. UNSA would support education reforms that would make the scholl system more inclusive and efficient, Escure said. He also said that in view of the Presidential elections UNSA would analyse the candidate's plans and programs. However, the union would make every possible effort to prevent the extreme right from seizing power.

At the other side of Grenoble the delegates of SNES/FSU discussed the organization's policy and action plans around four themes: secondary education reforms, uplifting the teaching profession, social and democratic changes, and trade union challenges. On Wednesday the delegates welcomed a representative of the Greek Education Union OLME who informed them about the devastating impact of the financial crisis on education. EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen also addressed the congress commending SNES for its active involvement in international work.

Source: Education International