Historically, pandemics have always caused
mental disorders and physical distress among the
population. SARS-COV2 is no exception. It has invaded
all public and private spheres. The education system has
not been spared by this scourge either. Through its
multiplying, mutating, uncertain and devastating aspect,
COVID has become anxiety-provoking for educational
staff, especially inspectors. The SARS-COV2 EFFECT
study is a preliminary assessment ( conducted over four
months in April and May 2020, and in February and
March 2021) of the perception by education inspectors
(EIs) of the disruption of their professional activity during
the pandemic, and of its consequences on their physical
and mental health. The survey was carried out by means
of a self-administered questionnaire administered to a
sample of 113 inspectors (IEs). Although burnout
syndrome has been widely studied and documented
internationally, there are very few studies that address its
prevalence and impact among EIs, especially in the midst
of the COVID19. Educational inspection is a stressful
profession that may predispose inspectors to burnout. The
repeated stopping and resuming of school classes has
altered both students' schooling and inspectors'
professional tasks. The improvised and urgent recourse to
distance learning has been a source of destabilization for
students, their parents, teaching staff, and EIs alike. The
rearrangement of schedules and working conditions
generated additional physical fatigue for 59% of EIs.
Psychological and moral exhaustion was reported by 32%
of inspectors. This was underpinned first and foremost by
the stress of contracting Covid (77%), the fear of a vital
risk (35%), but above all of transmitting it to their
relatives (81%). This stress affects all socio-professional
categories in the inspection, regardless of exposure to
COVID. Organizational changes, the lack of visibility,
information deficit as well as inadequate protective
equipment were major factors of insecurity, especially in
the first months of the pandemic. After containment,
occupational stress did not diminish despite the significant
decrease in infected cases and the drop in mortality due to
COVID. On the other hand, the vaccination campaign
undertaken very early and in priority in the education
sector brought relief and a considerable reduction in
stress, without however disappearing. Work on
emergency measures, support and health crisis
management in education is more than necessary. It
should target the dissemination of information, mainly to
those most at risk, as well as providing wider
psychological or material support to inspectors.
Keywords : Burnout, COVID19, Factors and Effects of Burnout, Education Inspector, Crisis Management in Education.