Teacher Training Reform: Advanced Recruitment Exams and a New Interdisciplinary Degree

Prime Minister François Bayrou, accompanied by Minister of National Education Élisabeth Borne, presented the key elements of an ambitious teacher training reform on March 28. This reform, which has been announced and postponed multiple times, aims to address the recruitment crisis in education and strengthen the quality of teaching.

Advancement of the Recruitment Exam to Bac+3: A Response to the Recruitment Crisis

One of the key measures is the advancement of the teacher recruitment exam from Bac+5 to Bac+3. This change will allow future teachers to begin their training earlier in their academic careers, improving the quality of teaching right from the start. The exam, which is currently accessible after obtaining a master’s degree, will now take place at the end of the bachelor’s degree, marking a significant shift in teacher preparation.

Once the exam is passed, aspiring teachers will undergo a two-year professional training program in Master’s 1 and 2, with a status as student civil servants receiving a salary: 1,400 euros net in M1 and 1,800 euros net in M2. These future teachers will then be required to work for at least four years. This training model aims to create better-prepared professionals and attract more candidates to the teaching profession.

A New Interdisciplinary Degree for Primary Education

In parallel, a new interdisciplinary degree specifically for preparing future primary school teachers will be introduced in the 2026 academic year. This degree will offer a rigorous, professional curriculum covering all primary school subjects. The goal is to spark interest in teaching as a career right after high school, with the aim of restoring the spirit of the old normal schools.

Students will follow a demanding three-year curriculum, with a strong focus on professional preparation. The program will be offered nationwide starting in 2026, with the objective of better equipping future teachers to teach effectively.

Practical Internships and More Professional Training

To ensure the training is more hands-on and aligned with the realities of teaching, students will benefit from practical internships throughout their training. In M1, students will spend one-third of their time in observation internships, integrated into classrooms as observers. In M2, they will take on a more active role, teaching for 50% of their time during responsibility internships.

These reforms aim to make teacher training more professional and provide better preparation to meet the current challenges of the French education system.

Estimated Cost of 500 Million Euros Annually

While ambitious, these reforms will come at a significant cost for the state, estimated at 26 million euros in 2026, 294 million euros in 2027, and nearly 500 million euros per year from 2028. However, the goal is to make the teaching profession more attractive and to address the teacher shortage currently affecting the French education system.

This reform is part of a broader effort to provide teachers with a more comprehensive, interdisciplinary education focused on core subjects while tackling the recruitment crisis facing the national education system.