FRENCH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES FACE SCHOOL CRISIS AS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS PROTEST POOR CONDITIONS

FRENCH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES FACE SCHOOL CRISIS AS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS PROTEST POOR CONDITIONS

Weeks before high school protests spread across mainland France, students, teachers and parents in two French overseas territories had already taken action over worsening school conditions.

In Mayotte, teachers and parents launched a strike on August 31 at a high school designed for 900 students but reportedly accommodating more than 2,200. In French Guiana, students in Cayenne blocked access to their school on September 7.

According to an association representing overseas municipalities, the protests received coverage mainly from local media for three weeks, highlighting concerns that problems in overseas territories are often overlooked until they attract attention on the mainland.

The report also points to significant inequalities in education. In Mayotte, more than half of public secondary school teachers reportedly lack permanent employment status, compared with approximately one in 10 in mainland France, according to Education Ministry data.

Meanwhile, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Réunion reportedly lost nearly 200 secondary school teaching positions combined during the current school year.

Concerns extend beyond education. France’s heatwave alert system does not cover any of its overseas territories, according to the report.

On October 13, MP Steevy Gustave challenged the National Assembly to confront the issue, questioning whether a crisis must first erupt in mainland France before the struggles of its overseas territories receive national attention.

The bigger question: Why do some communities have to struggle for so long before their problems receive the attention they deserve