Student protests highlight education challenges

Édouard Geffray, the Minister of National Education, mentioned that Seine-Saint-Denis spends 13% more per student than the national average and that general and technological high school classes have two fewer students on average. However, the student movement began at Saint-Exupéry high school in Créteil and has spread to other schools in the Créteil academy, including Paul-Éluard high school in Saint-Denis. Students across these schools are criticizing similar issues: unfilled teaching positions, absent teachers not being replaced, and deteriorating school buildings.

Student numbers rising despite national decline

Between 2019 and 2025, general and technological high schools in Seine-Saint-Denis welcomed 3,356 more students, an 8.2% increase, while the national trend shows a decline. The Val-de-Marne and Seine-et-Marne also saw increases, though smaller. Most of the new students were absorbed by existing schools, with only three new schools opened in six years. The number of students entering the second year increased by 5.6% in 2025, and the Créteil academy is expected to gain students in secondary education until 2027.

Public schools bear the brunt of student growth

Public high schools in Seine-Saint-Denis absorbed 2,895 of the 3,356 additional students. Private schools under contract, which enroll 14.5% of general and technological high school students in the department, attract students from more advantaged backgrounds. The median social position index for private schools is 122, compared to 88 in public schools. In contrast, 59% of public high schools in Seine-Saint-Denis are classified as the most socially disadvantaged, compared to 8% nationally.

High rates of academic difficulty and poverty

In Seine-Saint-Denis, 40% of students enter the second year with difficulty in French, and nearly half struggle with mathematics. The department has the highest poverty rate in metropolitan France and nearly twice as many scholarship students as most other departments. However, there are fewer adults to support these students, as the region has fewer CPEs, education assistants, nurses, and psychologists than most French departments.

Teaching hours and staff shortages

Public high schools in Seine-Saint-Denis receive 2 to 3% fewer teaching hours than the national average for schools of similar size and social profile. The Créteil academy, which includes Seine-Saint-Denis, has the highest proportion of young teachers and the most teacher departures. In 2022-2023, only 92.8% of long absences were replaced, one of the lowest rates in France. In Seine-Saint-Denis, 12.9% of high school teachers are on contractual positions, twice the rate of most departments.

Underfunded school infrastructure

Public high schools in Île-de-France, including those in Seine-Saint-Denis, receive less funding for infrastructure than the national average. Between 2021 and 2023, the region spent an average of 2,380 euros per student per year on school maintenance, compared to 3,220 euros for the median region. This underfunding affects the condition of school buildings and equipment.

Student performance and social context

The bac pass rate in Seine-Saint-Denis public high schools is 87.8%, lower than the national average of 95.3%. However, when accounting for the social profile of students, these schools perform better than expected. According to the DEPP's added value indicators, the rate of access from the second year to the bac is 5.5 points higher than predicted, compared to -0.3 points for all public high schools.