It is from a technological and professional high school in Saintes (Charentes-Maritimes) that Emmanuel Macron presented, Thursday, May 4, the reform of the professional high school. It is “not just a reform” but “a national cause” hammered the President of the Republic, from a workshop at the Bernard-Palissy high school, setting “three objectives”: reduce the “dropout” , move towards “100% professional integration” and “recognize the commitment of teachers” of vocational high schools.
These three axes will be the subject of an additional investment by the State of 1 billion euros. Internships will be compensated from the second and first year of CAP, first 50 euros per week, then 75 euros per week in first and 100 euros in terminal.
The Head of State also wants an increase in the remuneration of teachers in vocational high schools, on the same model of “pact” already announced for the general sector: on a voluntary basis and in return for a commitment to teaching missions. personalized support, short replacements, reception of middle school students on the technical platforms of high schools for orientation or coordination missions, a teacher could receive “up to 7,500 euros gross annually”, according to Emmanuel Macron. All in addition to the unconditional revaluation already announced by the Minister of National Education, Pap Ndiaye, from “100 to 230 euros net per month”, advanced the president Thursday.
Redesign of the training map
Another ambition of the executive is an overhaul of the training map, which Emmanuel Macron wishes to redirect towards jobs in tension (railway, aeronautics, agricultural professions were mentioned in particular) and jobs of the future (nuclear, energy renovation of buildings, renewable energies, digital for example).
The Head of State announced the launch of National Refoundation Councils at the local level to bring together representatives of professional branches, communities, State services and establishments to define the training courses to be abolished and those to be opened in the coming years. come. The decision would be up to the prefectures in conjunction with the regional councils and the State.
Promised during the 2022 presidential campaign, the reform of the vocational high school aims to strengthen the appeal of these sectors, by giving access to more qualifying training, to improve the professional integration of young people and to fight against school dropout in order to of the professional path “a path of excellence”.
“The goal is that everyone can find a good job, a job with a good salary, and one that makes sense,” wrote Emmanuel Macron in this text, announcing that “internships will be more numerous. They will also be remunerated, because all work must pay”. “The duration of internships will be increased by 50%,” Macron said Thursday. “They will be supported by Pôle emploi throughout their school year.”
Rewards would be progressive
A third of high school students, approximately 621,000 students, are educated in vocational high schools. It is an audience that is often “fragile, young and heterogeneous”, notes a presidential adviser. Only one out of two vocational baccalauréat holders and a quarter of students with a CAP manage to find employment within a year of obtaining their diploma. And among those who continue their training in BTS, too many drop out in the first year, analyzes the Elysée.
The unions oppose the increase in the duration of the internship, which would reduce the time of general education. Sigrid Girardin, head of SNUEP-FSU, is furious: “Our students, younger than before, need more school time and no company time. Emmanuel Macron is looking above all for manpower. The closure of sectors that no longer offer opportunities for students and the strengthening of the link between schools and businesses are also on the table.
“We will welcome him as he should”
The prefecture of Charente-Maritime published, on Wednesday evening, a decree prohibiting any “demonstration” and “crowding” around the vocational school. The prefect, Nicolas Basselier, justifies his decision by the fear of “disturbances to public order” in the context of the challenge of the pension reform and in view of calls for mobilization on social networks of “radical groups of Charente-Maritime and neighboring departments”. He also refers more specifically to threats from an individual saying on Facebook that he wanted to carry “a sniper rifle with ammunition” on the occasion of the visit of the President of the Republic. The decree runs from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
As with each of Emmanuel Macron’s last trips, opponents of the pension reform awaited him in a concert of pots and whistles, outside the prohibited perimeter.
Teachers will also “go on strike” and some could boycott a round table with Pap Ndiaye, warns the departmental secretary of SNES-FSU 17, Sylvie Laulan. The CGT cut the power for a few minutes in the high school visited by Emmanuel Macron. A generator had been installed, as for all the establishments which have received the Head of State since the end of April.