PARIS, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The French government Wednesday announced up to 22,921 job cuts in the public sector next year as part of its 2008 budget plan.

    The move is expected to save the government 458 million euros (646 million U.S. dollars), according to the plan.

    While the education sector alone will eliminate 11,200 posts, there will be major cuts at the defense, economy and finance and interior ministries.

    Half of the cash saved will be used to improve the income and career prospects of those who remain, according to the plan.

    President Nicolas Sarkozy said last week that in order to uphold his campaign promise of sweeping changes to the country's jobs sector, the public sector would be smaller but better paid.

    Sarkozy said the cuts would remain at an annual rate of 30,000 to 35,000 jobs in the next few years.

    France had some 5.2 million state employees in 2005, accounting for almost one fifth of the nation's jobs. The government spent 133 billion euros (187 billion dollars), or 44 percent of the budget, on state employees last year.