How to organize a back-to-school period in one of the cities where the coronavirus epidemic is progressing the most, especially when it is known to have many cramped schools? In Marseille, September 1 looks like a real "puzzle", by the own admission of Pierre Huguet, the new deputy mayor in charge of education and school canteens.
According to the latest indicators cited this Monday by the prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône, Christophe Mirmand, the incidence rate of the coronavirus is 145 per 100,000 in Marseille, against only 33 per 100,000 of the national average. Likewise, the positivity rate is much higher in Marseille (7.3%) than on the whole national territory (3.5%).
Large cleaning operation
It is now a question of trying to ensure the safety of 80,000 Marseille schoolchildren and the staff who will take care of these toddlers every day, in this unprecedented context. So, this Tuesday, the new municipal majority, led by the elected ecologist Michèle Rubirola, who succeeds 25 years of reign of Jean-Claude Gaudin, gathered the press in a small school in the second arrondissement, to tirelessly repeat the same message : everything is ready, fear not.
The municipal staff were asked this week to carry out a "big cleaning" to use the words of Pierre Huguet. The latter says that cleaning equipment, masks, soap, toilet paper and even hand towels have been delivered to the 470 public schools in the second largest city in France.
"We are waiting for the instructions"
“There have been cases in the past where parents were forced to bring toilet paper. It's true that it's part of the minimum of the minimum, ”says Pierre Huguet, deputy in charge of education and canteens. In the Francois-Moisson school, which opened its doors to the press, a dedicated room houses a stock of disinfectant products intended for the staff of the establishment. “We have a stock in each school to keep a quarter of cleaning products,” says Laurent-Xavier Grima, director of education and youth at the city of Marseille.
A little further on, the canteen is the object of all the attentions… and all the questions. Because beyond the material now arises the question of everyday life close to a school in times of epidemic. A real unknown for the municipal staff, not really reassured. “We are going to welcome 320 primary school students in this canteen,” says Véronique, manager of the restaurant at François-Moisson school. "We are waiting for the instructions". Discomfort among elected officials who cut short the conversation.
"It's scary"
“Frankly, it's scary, sighs Marie Ruggiu, manager of the restaurant at the Jean-Jaurès school, in the 14th arrondissement, and CGT union representative. This is not obvious. We do not know how many children we will have in the canteens, as registrations are not yet open. In some schools there is a lack of disinfectants. I don't know who to blame, but frankly, we're not ready. "
“The objective is to ensure optimal conditions for municipal staff,” Pierre Huguet repeats. Everything has been done so that they can perform their public service missions. This involves providing staff with masks but also training them. Instructions based on health protocols were given. All this will be followed as closely as possible. "
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