Wealthy French quit failing state schools squeezed by pensions and austerity

Clemence Remy, a resident of Nantes, France, relocated her two daughters to a private school in 2020 due to frequent teacher strikes in the local state school. This issue has contributed to violent protests against France's failing public education system. These schools, once seen as a symbol of the republican ideal, have seen a decline in performance over the years.

The government is grappling with a high pension bill and a need to control public spending, leaving little room for investment in education. Consequently, wealthy parents are choosing private schools for their children. France's PISA 2025 results reveal a significant drop in maths and reading levels among 15-year-olds, well below the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development average.

French state secondary schools failed to staff nearly 10% of teaching hours in the 2024/25 school year, with teaching hours lost due to absent teachers accounting for three-quarters of the shortfall. Additionally, around 50% of school buildings are in a significantly deteriorated state. The government's budget for education, €64 billion ($72 billion), is significantly impacted by the teachers' pension bill, which consumes 28% of the total education budget.

Former students and parents of private schools in France acknowledge the increasing concentration of wealthier students in certain areas, with 40.2% of pupils in under-contract schools in 2021 coming from very advantaged backgrounds.