After more than three decades teaching French, Joel decided to retire at the age of 61, shortly before the law that changed the legal retirement age in France. Nowadays, the former teacher, with a pension that he considers “dignified”, remembers his journey with serenity and shares what life is like after leaving classes.
Joel spent more than 30 years teaching in public schools in the Paris region, especially in the Essonne department, accumulating extensive experience.
He worked in areas classified as REP+, territories considered to be of educational priority due to the linguistic and social diversity of the students, which guaranteed him a salary bonus. “For ten years I taught in the suburbs, where many students did not have French as their mother tongue. Then they transferred me to a high school in La Roche-sur-Yon, in the Vendée”, he told the French newspaper Le Figaro.
A long career and a symbolic closure
He remembers that his last class was dedicated to the work Bel-Ami, by Maupassant, with an eighth-grade class. He says, with nostalgia, that it was a symbolic way to end his career. Despite having loved teaching, he confesses that he was eagerly awaiting the moment of retirement: “I wanted to do other things after so many years of teaching.”
In the last position, he earned a gross monthly salary of around 3,200 euros, an amount that included the bonus for working in priority areas, corresponding to 2,500 euros net. After retiring, the former teacher started receiving 2,700 euros gross in pension, approximately 2,450 euros net.
Retired, but still a teacher
Joel retired at 61, shortly before the pension reform came into force in France, which increased the legal age from 62 to 64. Thus, it escaped the new rules. Today, he remains linked to teaching through volunteering. “I teach French to foreigners twice a week at the local community center”, he explains, quoted by the same source.
For him, this new role is freer and more rewarding: “I teach without the pressure of exams or bureaucracy. It’s rewarding to help adults who want to learn French to integrate and find work.” Father of two adult children, he says he now lives “at a more relaxed pace, but still with the pleasure of teaching”.
Portrait of a demanding profession
In France, Joel’s case illustrates the reality of many teachers who, after long careers in public education, achieve a stable retirement, but feel the need to remain active, says the .
This former professor’s pension, although comfortable, also reflects the recognition of decades of service in a system that values career time and areas of greater social complexity.
And in Portugal, what would it be like?
In Portugal, the situation of a teacher with a similar profile is governed by the Retirement Statute (Decree-Law No. 498/72) and the Convergent Social Protection Regime for public employees. In the case of teachers hired until December 31, 2025, the pension is managed by Caixa Geral de Aposentações (CGA).
The normal retirement age is 66 years and 9 months this year, and may be brought forward by means of a penalty due to insufficient age or length of service.
In our country, public education teachers are part of the special teaching career, regulated by the Teaching Career Statute. Progression takes place in ten levels, depending on length of service and performance assessment. In 2025, a secondary teacher at the top of his career (10th grade, index 370) earns around 3,690 euros gross per month, while intermediate values vary between 2,700 and 3,400 euros gross, approaching the income observed in France for equivalent positions.
At the time of retirement, the pension is calculated based on years of service and remuneration earned, and is managed by Caixa Geral de Aposentações (CGA). As in France, many Portuguese teachers retire before the legal limit, accepting reductions in the value of their pension to gain more personal freedom.
New life cycle
Joel sums up his journey calmly: “I worked hard enough to live with dignity and now I can dedicate myself to what makes me happy.” Interestingly, many retired French teachers continue to teach informally in local associations.
His testimony is the mirror of a generation of teachers who, even after retirement, continue to find meaning in sharing knowledge. Interestingly, in several European countries there are programs that encourage these teachers to support migrant communities.
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