French teachers walked off the job on Thursday over what they say is the government’s failure to adopt a coherent policy for schools to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, or properly protect pupils and staff against infection.

Paris, January 13 (RHC)-- French teachers walked off the job on Thursday over what they say is the government’s failure to adopt a coherent policy for schools to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, or properly protect pupils and staff against infection.

“The exhaustion and exasperation of the entire educational community have reached an unprecedented level,” eleven unions said in a joint statement.

“The responsibility of the minister and the government in this chaotic situation is total because of incessant changes of footing, unworkable protocols and the lack of appropriate tools to guarantee (schools) can function properly.”

The strike comes as teachers, parents and school administrators struggle to keep up with new testing rules, announced before the end of Christmas holidays but changed twice since, following criticism.

Unions said many schools closed on Thursday and very large numbers of teachers -- including about 75 percent in primary schools -- to joined the one-day strike.