The pressure was strong, from elected officials and political leaders, to obtain free masks for middle and high school students at the start of the school year. But the executive ruled during the Health Defense Council organized on Tuesday: it will be no, except for the most precarious, we learned from a source close to the executive.
The Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, had already announced last Thursday that free masks could be provided on a case-by-case basis to families "in great difficulty". But that, for the rest, they would be part of "back-to-school supplies" such as pens or satchels. Since then, several departments, in charge of colleges, and regions, competent for high schools, have announced that they will provide free protective masks to students for the start of the school year.
"Efficiency on all subjects"
During the Defense Council on Tuesday, Emmanuel Macron "asked that we go to the end of local management, with consistency and responsibility of the actors". He asked for "efficiency on all subjects," said a source close to the executive.
The president also indicated that “clear rules” would be established “everywhere” in France to deal with the resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic. A national priority he expressed in a tweet:
Health priority. This morning I assembled a defense council to organize the start of the school year under the best possible conditions with regard to the epidemic evolution. School, work, public places: clear rules everywhere to allow everyone to regain confidence.
- Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 25, 2020Society
Coronavirus: Are French schools subject to one of "the strictest health protocols in Europe", as Blanquer claims?
Society
Coronavirus: Should we make the mask free at school?
- Middle School
- High school
- Emmanuel Macron
- Back to School
- Jean-Michel Blanquer
- Coronavirus
- Society