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UNSA Education has launched a survey of French educators for the 2023 edition of its Barometer of education professions. This survey will allow education staff to talk about their working conditions, their aspirations and their vision of their profession.

An annual measurement of the state of mind of education staff

The Barometer of Education Professions was launched in 2013 by UNSA Education, a federation of 23 education, research and culture unions, affiliated to Education International (EI) and its European Regional organisation, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE). Every year the survey measures the state of mind of education workers. The 2023 edition will look at their working conditions, their aspirations and their vision of their profession, in a social context in which several days of action have been organised by the unions since January, in protest at the government’s plans for reforming the pension system, which will push back the retirement age.

As Nicolas Anoto, from the UNSA Education general secretariat, pointed out, “this barometer has become a point of reference in the education sector, allowing us to look back over the last ten years, for example at our confidence in government policies”.

He also pointed to the growing number of respondents. Last year, nearly 43,000 colleagues replied to the questions.

The barometer begins with 15 recurrent questions, asking staff about their level of satisfaction over pay, what they think of their workload, whether they feel valued at work.

Every year it also contains topical questions. The 2022 edition revealed what staff thought about the education proposals of the presidential election candidates, Anoto recalls.

Three key transitions for youth focused professions

This year’s survey includes changes, with a new topical theme incorporating questions about how education staff feel about three transitions that particularly affect youth focussed professions, namely digital transformation, the ecological shift and the democratic crisis.

Frédéric Marchand, General Secretary of UNSA Education believes “these subjects are essential for professions where artificial intelligence is raising questions, where the explosion in energy prices has sent shock waves through our establishments and where the abstention of the young from the recent 2022 presidential elections is a worrying sign for the future of our democracy”.

Anoto also stressed that the Barometer of education professions is accessible to all staff on national education, higher education and research, agricultural education, youth, sport and culture. It is open for responses from 5 March to 5 April, and the results will be presented to the media at the end of May 2023.

The unique feature of this survey is that it is targeted not only at teachers, from nursery school to university doctorates, but also at all education support staff, in other words the professionals who work for the young and for the future in over 60 occupations, such as managerial and administrative staff, inspectors, social services, psychologists, doctors and nurses in national education, in agricultural education, in French education abroad, and even outside of school, at staff working in the youth and sport sector, culture, and research.

To find out more about the 2023 Barometer go to: baro.unsa-education.com/int

2nd edition of the International Barometer of the Health and Well-being of Education Personnel - I-BEST

Taking action to protect the physical and mental well-being of education personnel, beyond just France, is an essential condition for guaranteeing quality education in the world as promoted by the sustainable development goals.

This is why the Education and Solidarity Network and the Fondation d'Entreprise Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale (MGEN) pour la Santé Publique, in partnership with Education International and UNESCO Chair Global Health and Education, are launching the 2nd edition of the International Barometer of the Health and Well-being of Education Personnel - I-BEST.

This bi-annual international survey focuses on the health and well-being of education personnel. In 2021, thanks to the participation of 8,000 teachers, the results of the first edition provided an unprecedented international comparison of six countries/provinces on three continents, with recommendations for public authorities.

In 2023, the survey will be conducted in 13 countries and provinces around the world and will be open to all education personnel. It will provide updated data on working conditions, physical and mental health, work-life balance and the impact of digital tools.

In France, the survey is being conducted in collaboration with MGEN and UNSA Education in order to make the voices of French education workers heard.