On January 18, the Toulouse Academy released the figures for staff and contingents for the start of the 2022 school year, with in particular an effort on more than 170 additional full-time equivalent (FTE), teachers or not, including 60 FTEs in primary education alone in Haute-Garonne. The rectorate also announced that following the movement of January 13, 62 educational assistants ETP (AED) would be recruited throughout the academy.

The opportunity to return to the levers used to try to solve a major problem: the rectorate opens positions, tries to recruit, but does not find takers. As a result, the structural crisis of teacher shortage is amplified by the current health crisis. Several experiments or changes in philosophy are being implemented.

The call for retired teachers makes a flop

The shortage has been there for a few years, even if Mostafa Fourar, the rector of the Toulouse academy does not quantify it. “Before, there was a lack of teachers in technological subjects in rural areas. Today is everywhere.” Six disciplines are distributed as the most profitable in the former Midi-Pyrénées: English, letters, eco-management, technology, physical sciences and SVT.

Unemployment has fallen, which is good news, but we are in a competitive context with other sectors. And then perhaps the crisis has accentuated the fact that young people are turning to something other than teaching.

A finding that forces the authorities to be inventive in recruiting and stabilizing the workforce. In December, as in other territories, the rectorate of Toulouse wrote recently retired teachers, to invite them to come forward if they wanted to return to service and provide reinforcement. The initiative has not had the hoped-for echo, concedes the rector, for the moment.

Always with the idea of ​​quickly compensating for absences, the academy is experimenting the “e-replacement”, English and Mathematics. A Toulouse teacher will be able to replace, from home, give a course to a class accompanied by an AED from a Gers high school, for example. This would already solve all the logistics related to staff travel and accommodation. The initiative is carried, it will probably not be able to apply to all subjects.

Recruit more broadly, break the taboo of remuneration

The teaching staff can also count on its temporary workers and contractors. In a short-term aim like the two previous ideas, it is decided to recruit aspirants who have just missed the school teacher competition, a complementary list which exists only in the first degree. Thirteen names described there in the Toulouse academy, some are already vacant. After the green light from the ministry, they could be established, as if they had passed the competition.

Recruitment takes place until then at bac+3 in the first and second degree, the limit has been raised to bac+2, depending on the quality of the applications submitted to the inspectors via an interview, to develop more students towards this training. “Youdo not take emergency measures because of the Covid, it is not intended to become generalized“, justifies Mostafa Fourar.

To make the job more attractive, and avoid losing resources during the summer, some contract workers will also be offered, on an experimental basis, in deficit disciplines, 3-year contracts, not 10 months. “Candidates will have more visibility to prepare for competitions, with the support of inspectors“, details the rector. The device will also be offered for contractors who have three or four years of seniority, with the idea of ​​making them permanent.

More rarely heard, the subject of the attractiveness of remuneration teachers. Without going into detail, Mostafa Fourar explains that despite the salary scales, he has a little room for manoeuvre.the context is particular, so on certain disciplines in tension, we can look on a case-by-case basis“.

In the Toulouse academy, there are approximately 29,000 teachers, including 16,000 in secondary education.