Paris mayor backs 4.5‑day school week

Emmanuel Grégoire said on May 18 that he supports keeping the 4.5-day school week in Paris, even as he opens a broader review of after-school organization in the middle of a widening abuse scandal in municipal school services. The Paris mayor told RTL he wanted to preserve the rhythm in place since 2013 while reworking the structure of périscolaire activities, especially the workshops held on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. His comments came a day after Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said investigations were under way in more than 100 establishments, including 84 preschools, about 20 primary schools and around 10 crèches. The issue now sits at the intersection of child protection, school scheduling and the city’s management of staff and supervision. ### Why is the 4.5-day week suddenly back at the center of the debate? Paris has kept a 4.5-day school week since 2013, unlike many French municipalities that later returned to four days. Under the Paris model, children attend class on Wednesday mornings, and the city organizes after-school care and activities around that schedule. Emmanuel Grégoire said on RTL, “Je suis favorable à la semaine de 4,5 jours,” while adding that the city should rethink how the after-school periods are arranged. He said moving back to four days would not respect the spirit of the 2013 reform, which aimed for more days of teaching and fewer classroom hours per day. (20minutes.fr) ### What exactly is Paris trying to change in the after-school timetable? Paris currently handles children during lunch and late afternoon periods on Monday and Thursday, from midday on Wednesday, and through ateliers périscolaires on Tuesday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Those Tuesday and Friday blocks are the ones Grégoire has most clearly indicated could be reorganized. (20minutes.fr) The city says its new convention is meant to define “a new model” for Paris after-school time. On the city’s own timetable, the sessions run from May 18 to June 22, and the recommendations are to be presented to the Council of Paris in July. The mayor may then incorporate those recommendations into policy from the 2026 school year and in 2027. (20minutes.fr) ### How much of this is driven by the abuse investigations? Laure Beccuau said on May 17 that the Paris prosecutor’s office had opened investigations covering 84 maternelles, about 20 écoles élémentaires and around 10 crèches. She said all Paris arrondissements were affected. (paris.fr) Grégoire responded on May 18 by saying delays before children are interviewed are “trop longs avant l’audition des enfants,” according to 20 Minutes. He also said the condition for discussing school quality is first to ensure children’s safety. Since the start of 2026, 78 city employees working in Paris schools have been suspended, including 31 over suspected sexual violence, according to figures cited by the mayor and reported by AFP-backed coverage. (rtl.fr) In April, Grégoire announced a 20 million euro action plan for the after-school system. (20minutes.fr) ### Who is being asked to shape the new model? Paris said 80 parents drawn by lot from more than 1,500 volunteers are taking part in the convention, which the city describes as representative of Paris families. Their task is to hear from experts, professionals, associations and other participants before issuing recommendations on how school time should be organized so children can learn and develop safely. (rtl.fr) Barka Zerouali, spokesperson for the collective #MeTooEcole, told AFP that the prosecutor’s figures were “vertigineux” and said a clear diagnosis was needed before citizens were asked to propose solutions. FCPE Paris, the main parents’ federation, separately reaffirmed support for the 4.5-day rhythm, saying it supports children’s learning rhythms. (france24.com) ### What happens next, and when will Paris decide? The convention’s calendar runs through June 22, with hearings, site visits and deliberations before conclusions are delivered. The City of Paris says those recommendations will go to the Council of Paris in July, and the mayor says changes could begin from the 2026 school year, with further implementation in 2027. (paris.fr) (france24.com)