- While on April 21, Jean-Michel Blanquer raised the hypothesis of a return to class spread over three weeks depending on the school level, Edouard Philippe announced an even more gradual come-back and very dependent on the local health situation.
- Decisions motivated by economic reasons, by a certain pragmatism, by the desire not to hold up teachers and parents of pupils…
The date of resumption of school will really not be the same for everyone. Edouard Philippe insisted on this point during the presentation of his deconfinement plan, Tuesday, to restart the country in stages from May 11.
While on April 21, Jean-Michel Blanquer raised the hypothesis of a return to school spread over three weeks according to school levels, the executive has reshuffled the cards and is offering an even more progressive and very gradual school comeback. depending on the local health situation. 20 Minutes explains the bottom of the decisions that have been made.
Why is the government opening kindergartens and elementary schools first?
The government "proposes a very gradual reopening of kindergartens and elementary school from May 11, everywhere on the territory, and on a voluntary basis," the Prime Minister announced Tuesday in the National Assembly. A decision which is not surprising according to Rodrigo Arenas, co-president of the FCPE: “We are doing an economic analysis. Because having the kids go back to school first allows parents to go to work, ”he explains. Especially since several studies have shown in recent weeks that small children are weak vectors of Covid-19 transmission. But Edouard Philippe also justified "the reopening of schools" by the need to want to "guarantee the educational success of students, especially the most vulnerable among them, whose education suffers terribly from confinement".
He also said he wanted to "leave the maximum flexibility to the field in this area", judging that "school directors, parents of students, local communities will find together, pragmatically, the best solutions". A way of giving back the hand to the local actors to adapt to the geographic realities and the health situation on the spot. Especially since some mayors had already said this week that they would oppose the opening of schools. The government also gives parents the choice of whether to put their children back in class or not, because making the presence of students compulsory would have pointed them out. "Family volunteering is a demagogic announcement to flatter public opinion that sends responsibility to parents," said Snuipp in a statement.
Why won't all the colleges open at the same time?
"In a second step, from May 18, but only in the departments where the circulation of the virus is very weak, we can consider opening the colleges, starting with the 6th and the 5th," added the tenant of Matignon. According to Sud Education, if the reopening of secondary schools is now subject to several prerequisites, it is because the executive has heard the reluctance of the field: "The government has backed down for middle and high schools: it is to put credit for the mobilization of parents and staff with their union organizations, "said the union in a press release.
For Pascal Bolloré, deputy secretary general of the SNPDEN (union of heads of establishments), “it is above all the opinion of the Scientific Council which has overturned the government, because its recommendations have shown that a precise timetable was ineffective. Taking into account the health situation in each territory to decide on reopenings is more reasonable and realistic. Starting with the 6th and 5th grades is quite logical, because it is the middle school students who are the most fragile when it comes to distance education. And after having assessed the conditions for taking over these students, we will be able to extend college access to other levels, ”he believes.
How to explain the postponement of the reopening of high schools?
On April 21, Jean-Michel Blanquer had raised the hypothesis of a reopening of high schools on May 25. But the situation has changed. "We will decide at the end of May if we can reopen the lycées, starting with the professional lycées, at the beginning of June," said the head of government. A decision based on pragmatism, according to Carla Dugault, co-president of the FCPE : "The Prime Minister probably considers that schools are not ready to welcome high school students and that they are independent in their work and can continue teaching at distance ”.
Especially since the benefit of an early reopening of high schools would not have been convincing, according to Pascal Bolloré: “The number of lessons that high school students would take face-to-face each week would be paltry, and this return to high school would break the dynamics of the 'distance education that has been established,' he believes, leaving the hypothesis that some high schools do not reopen until September.
Why will the health rules not be the same depending on the establishment?
Regarding the "strict sanitary conditions" decided, Edouard Philippe announced that the wearing of masks would be "compulsory for middle school students" and that they would be supplied to those "who had not managed to obtain them". But that "all teachers and supervisors of educational establishments will receive masks which they will have to wear when they cannot respect the rules of distance".
However, wearing a mask "is prohibited in kindergarten" and "not recommended, given the risk of misuse, in elementary school," said the Prime Minister. A decision that follows the recommendations of the Scientific Council, which indicated that wearing a mask was "impossible" in kindergarten.
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- Covid 19
- Coronavirus
- Confinement
- school
- Jean-Michel Blanquer
- Education
- Deconfinement