to go in to despair a framework of the in

With back to school, the largest game of musical chairs of France comes to an end. Adjustments, and "until the next...

As every year, Department, unions and academies have since spent October a power mad to match the wishes of mutation of the teachers and the free positions. It is the movement of assignment of the teaching staff, an annual ritual in the form of mega-Waltz which almost 95,000 professors of schools and secondary candidates in 2009 (latest available statistics), came to "elected" arrived 15,000. Not to mention the allocation of the incumbent new 9,000 entering the career...

A true fact of society: who, in his entourage, has never heard a teacher delighted or disappointed his appointment No sympathy for the plight of separated spouses Affecting some 50,000 schools and 8,000 colleges and public schools - and indirectly their 10 million pupils-, the "movement" is close or far part of the familiar landscape of the French. He grew up with the explosion of enrolment in the 1960s and naturally fed the growing complexity of the professional, social and personal life of the teachers 712.000... public sector and the mobility which will with. "It is passed a handicraft and human system managed by the inspectors general mass, very administrative management", explains Bernard Toulemonde, Honorary Inspector-General of National Education and figure in the trade.

Upon arrival, a curious system which seems to be upsetting everyone and arrange all the world. "A gas plant!", "a moulinette points" phenomenon each about a mechanical unparalleled and unprecedented complexity. "Yes, but a mechanism that works, because every year, the school is ensured!", others counter. The daunting equation to solve each year for the first employer of France, it is actually a more... In discovering his new Department, Luc Chatel have dumbfounded by the situation of the human resources of National Education. In 1996, already, Roger Fauroux had described as "the most absurd management instrument invented by an administration" the French system of allocation of teachers.

The livelihood of the trade unions

Cornerstone of this policy: the famous "scale", fruit of a long tradition of centralization and a very Republican concern of egalitarianism. This learned points system that manages a computer at the national level, allows to balance the various elements relating to the antiquity of the teacher, at his level, his family and professional situation (pedagogical note), to take into account specific situations giving right to bonuses points (approximation of spouses, handicap), exercise of the profession in difficult neighbourhoods to define the priority level of his assignment. Thus armed with a total of what could be the equivalent of "miles" for air transport, the candidate can claim such geographical mutation. At the end of this bureaucratic gymkhana ensuring transparency but not regulating anything, it is found in the heart of a very liberal system of supply and demand: those who have the most points can afford the most comfortable positions. A quiet high school in the South of the France not a College in urban sensitive 9-3... And, as in real estate prices rise! "Each year, the entry for a Mediterranean Academy ticket is more expensive," sighs a young Professor singing accent exiled in the Paris suburbs...

Only whether primary or secondary school (see box), the allocation procedure is both "appallingly complicated", recognizes from all sides. And even though the administration has available to applicants a green number and specific computer sites - I-Prof, Siam (System of information and assistance for mutations)-, nothing is really done without the help of trade unions. Already associated to the joint management of the "movement" ensuring the regularity of the scales, the power of education eventually prevail as compelling advice customized to the teacher. "A list of wishes, it works! "Our unions are at least as bottom-set the Administration to navigate the maquis of the system and we avoid to advance to the blind", explains Professor of Parisian College. An army of trade unionists active thus in each phase and at each level - national and academic - the movement of assignment. "It's heavy, very professional, but it represents for us many memberships", recognizes Christian Chevalier, Secretary General of SE-Unsa. "The movement provides the livelihood of the trade unions, and eventually their power", confirms an expert.

This "reassuring system because everyone knows the rules", as defined with irony Bruno Suchaut, Director of the Iredu (Institute for educational research), is yet the location of many of the ambiguities. Official doctrine: the scale "facilitates the classification of claims" and "ensures the continuity of the public service on the whole of the territory", says the Ministry. The Trade Union side, it also defends its dimension.

"nationale": "It is a transparent and equitable system without compulsion or possible challenge," explains to the SE-Unsa. All stakeholders feel, however, often without saying, that the system is not satisfactory. For teachers, it is often synonymous with discontent and frustration. The first part of a prof career is characterized by the hypermobility, show studies: he seeks closer by hop, the city or the establishment of his dreams. A good part of his energy and consumes to develop strategies to achieve this. "We spend our time trying to save the furniture in playing with the system!" admitted this young associate of letters. For heads of establishment, the adequacy between the needs and profile of teaching is most of the time, however, the lottery outright...

"Institutional hazing."

For experts and practitioners, the major flaw of this system is obvious. "This scale showing the beautiful seniority led to an aberrant situation: the very young teachers, is the most inexperienced, landing in the most difficult areas, binding in contrast to the experienced personal!", said Bruno Suchaut. "It starts in a difficult position which nobody wants and, little by little, with seniority, it goes to the less difficult. It is the world upside down! ", storm Jean-Pierre Obin, Inspector General honorary. This "institutional hazing" appears in any case lavishness deterrent for young people. Half of all new licensees of Capes are thus affected in only two academies of Créteil and Versailles, deemed less easy. An extraordinary cultural shock, led to absenteeism and pathologies, and without greater opportunity to leave. "I look forward to five years to return to the Academy of Aix-Marseille to find my friend and my family, and I am not sure to come back." This separation is very expensive, we and you feel behind all of our projects of life: children, real estate... ", says Sébastien, thirty-two years,"glued"to Clichy-sous-Bois.

"In total, students of the disadvantaged classes are the big losers of the system." "The teachers needed are not where it should be", believes a head Deputy of Seine-Saint-Denis. "The principle of equality and uniformity englue us in scales where the personal value is low," said Bernard Toulemonde. Based entirely on the initiative and the wishes of the Professor, the system leaves of fact that a "marginal" place the interests of the service, was in 2008 the Green Paper the commission Pochard,... quickly buried. The alternative is, it is true, explosive: it would be, as is done often abroad, to give greater autonomy of recruitment to the institutions, which then focusing on the educational qualities to each teacher. From postings on "profile". A revolution. So far, the common law of the public service and its evolution to merit have still not addressed the shores of National Education. The Ministry, where a new HRD have been wonder at the RATP was appointed a year ago, refused to disclose on the question of assignments, even on the more technical aspects. Sensitive subject... "For the administration, it is so much simpler to run computers from a schedule," quips one in the "House". "We have arrived at this point of aberration that the only way to attract the profs in sensitive areas, is to give them points... to go in!", to despair a framework of the in.

Aware of these contradictions, National Education practice yet already discreetly positions "profiles". This is the case of professors of international or preparatory classes and some BTS; It was that of ambition-success networks and it is since this re-entry programs Clair (colleges and lycées for ambition, innovation and success) in disadvantaged areas. Presidents have also since devolution of more freedom in the matter, but without truly enjoy, regret the experts. "It advance here and there, as in the Academy of Strasbourg, on the condition of having political support!", said an inspector. Trade unions are concerned, indeed. "There's been two years an increase in the post to profile and mutations in the interest of the service." In terms of human resources, clear programs are a trial balloon. It is the first time that this is happening as clearly. We recruit on the project of a head of establishment, it is full deregulation! ", says Dominique Thoby, SE-Unsa. "All the teachers are, and all students are worth", insists he Xavier Marand, national Secretary of the SNES, the majority Union.

The "scale" so perhaps still beautiful days before him, as, in substance, said Bernard Toulemonde as number of sociologists, "system of education met the favored classes, who know very well to cope with him". Then...