As the 2026 school year begins, some teachers in the Rennes academy are still uncertain whether they will be assigned to teach, even though they passed the CRPE (teacher recruitment competition) and are on the supplementary list. The supplementary list is a reserve of qualified candidates who can be called upon to fill vacancies if needed. According to the academy, most of these candidates have not been contacted for the primary sector, and if they are not assigned by September 30, they will lose the benefit of their competition results and would have to retake the exam. A group of these candidates formed this summer to voice concerns about being overlooked in favor of hiring contract workers. In secondary education, where the supplementary list system does not apply, some contract workers have been left without assignments after years of service. Nicolas*, a primary school teacher candidate, is among 25 others in the Rennes academy waiting for an assignment. He passed the CRPE this year and is on the supplementary list, which should allow him to be placed in a vacant position and continue his training. The academy says only four candidates from this list were called this year, while the rest must wait. Emmanuelle Maray, a union representative, explains that candidates not assigned by September 30 lose the benefit of their competition results, which means they are forced to retake the exam. The group of candidates on the supplementary list has raised concerns with the rectorate, arguing that they are being neglected in favor of precarious contract workers. Caroline Brisedoux, a national union representative, notes that some academic unions have asked their rectorates to prioritize the supplementary list over hiring contract workers without going through the competition process, but this is not universally practiced. The Rennes academy explains that calling supplementary list candidates and hiring contract workers are two separate processes. Contract workers are typically hired for temporary positions, while supplementary list candidates are contacted when there are vacancies due to the withdrawal of main list candidates. The academy claims that all people on the supplementary list have been called every year, but this time, only a small number were contacted. Brittany is considered a region "particularly attractive to teachers," and the academy emphasizes that it is not opposed to contract workers but is mindful of their proportion in the overall hiring process. On the other side, some fixed-term contract teachers who have been assigned many times now find themselves without positions at the start of the school year. In secondary education, where the supplementary list system does not exist, the lack of assignments mainly affects contract workers. Sophie Vénétitay, a union representative, points out that for several years, contract workers have been used as an easy solution for rectorates, often placed in classes without prior training to meet the policy of having a teacher in every classroom. This year, some of these contract workers were not renewed, even though there were still needs, leading some to seek other opportunities, including through France Travail. From the Ministry of Education’s perspective, the situation is not seen as overly alarming. Each rectorate manages its recruitment independently, adjusting to local needs. In secondary education, there is a disciplinary logic, and as much as possible, individual situations of contract staff are considered. The situation of non-renewed contract workers is described as "the subject of special attention." The number of unfilled teacher positions has decreased after a recent reform aimed at addressing the recruitment crisis. Education Minister Edouard Geffray noted that all indicators are much better than in previous years, with the rate of filled positions reaching 98.5% in the primary sector and 96.1% in the secondary sector.