Demonstrations are currently taking place in many countries of the world regarding different issues. Among these, there is much discussion of France’s ongoing protests over the education system. Students and protesters have taken to the streets over issues such as underfunding, teacher shortages, overcrowded classes and lack of facilities in schools.

Agitators say that if schools do not have enough teachers and necessary facilities, it will directly affect the education of students. This demonstration now brings up the big question that how many students should be taught by one teacher? This question is also important because the ratio of students to teachers is quite different in different countries of the world.

Statistics are different for each country

In some places there are 15 students per teacher, while in others the number is more than 20. If a teacher has a large number of students under his charge, it may be difficult to give individual attention to each child. However, it is important to understand here that student-teacher ratio cannot be directly calculated as the number of students sitting in a class.

What is the difference between India, America, China and Russia?

• US: 15 students per teacher at primary level.
• India: About 24 students per teacher.
• France: About 24 students per teacher.
• China: 16 in primary, 13 in lower secondary and 14 in upper secondary.
• Russia: About 19 students per teacher.

It is clear from these figures that the average number of students under the responsibility of one teacher in America and China is less than in India and France. But, this comparison only gives an indication. Apart from the teacher-student ratio, many other factors are also important in determining the quality of education.

One teacher for every 15 students in America

According to the OECD’s Education at a Glance report, America has an average of one teacher for every 15 students at the elementary education level. While at lower secondary i.e. middle school level the ratio is one teacher for 14 students. It means that, according to average statistics, teachers have fewer students in America than in India and France.

But this does not mean that every class in America has only 14 or 15 students. This number can be different in any school, city or region. In fact, the student-teacher ratio shows the bigger picture. It states the number of students compared to the available teachers in the entire education system.

One teacher for 13 to 16 students in China

China also has a lower student-teacher ratio than India. According to 2024 data, there is one teacher for every 16 students at the primary level. In lower secondary i.e. junior secondary this ratio is around 13:1, while in upper secondary i.e. senior secondary it is around 14:1. At the secondary level in China, a teacher is responsible for an average of 13 to 14 students. However, here too this is the national average. The actual situation in different schools and areas may differ from this.

There is one teacher for every 19 students in Russia

According to available data in Russia, the ratio is about one teacher for 19 students. This figure is lower than India’s ratio of about 24:1. The territory of Russia is very large and the state of the education system in cities and remote areas can be different. Larger cities may have better availability of schools and teachers, while reaching schools and providing enough teachers in remote areas can be a challenge.

With 24.69 crore students in India, the challenge is huge

To understand the situation in India, it is necessary to look at the sheer size of its education system. According to the available data, there are about 14.71 lakh schools from pre-primary to higher secondary, over 1.01 crore teachers and about 24.69 crore students in the country. Managing such a large education system is a huge challenge in itself. The situation in different states, cities and rural areas in India is not uniform. In some places, the number of students in schools is high, while in other places there may be a shortage of teachers.

Protests have been going on in France for 3 weeks

The ongoing protests over education in France have brought the issue into the spotlight. Protesters’ complaints include issues such as teacher shortages, overcrowding in schools and underfunding. This protest has been going on for the past 3 weeks. Students say that teachers are absent in many schools and other teachers do not replace them on time.

In addition, classes are overcrowded, school buildings are dilapidated and in many places inadequate to deal with the heat. Long school hours and poor facilities are also reasons for student dissatisfaction. The protest has now spread across the country and teachers, unions and parents are also joining it. Besides, the government’s plan to cut the budget has also increased the anger.

France’s performance has again been questioned

The ongoing protests over the education system in France have once again brought this issue into the spotlight. In the protests that have been going on for the past few weeks, anger has been expressed over underfunding of schools, shortage of teachers, overcrowded classes and poor facilities in schools. The protesting students say that teachers are absent in many schools and substitute teachers are not available on time.