A demonstration against the precariousness of students, accentuated by the Covid-19, in Paris, March 16, 2021. -
Bertrand GUAY / AFP
Several hundred students demonstrated in France on Tuesday, notably in Paris, Bordeaux or Lyon, at the call of a dozen left-wing union and political organizations, to demand an emergency plan to fight against student insecurity.
In Paris, a few hundred people found themselves in peace to go from the surroundings of the Ministry of Labor to the vicinity of the Ministry of Higher Education.
On a large banner at the head of the procession we could read: "we will not be the sacrificed generation, we demand a right to the future".
"A return in progress at 50% and not at 20%"
“Students continue to be ignored by the government and when Jean Castex said two days ago that he has largely put the resources on young people, it is unacceptable.
We are specifically asking for an ongoing return to 50% and not to 20%, a framing of our examinations to know how we will be assessed and especially a plan of 1.5 billion euros to fight against this precariousness ”, launched in beginning of the demonstration, the president of UNEF, Mélanie Luce, in front of the press.
She describes "young people who continue to queue for food distributions, who sleep in their cars because they no longer have housing."
"We therefore need real measures because so far the government has given us only one aid of 150 euros, which therefore corresponds to 12.50 euros per month", she regretted.
"Getting up and spending the day in front of your computer is no longer possible"
At his side, Léon Deffontaines, secretary general of the young communist movement of France, spoke of “thousands of students who live below the poverty line”.
According to him, “one in 6 students had to stop studying because they juggle precariousness and odd jobs”.
"We are asking for the strengthening of the scholarship system and especially the establishment of a student income for all students to get them out of precariousness on a long-term basis," he added.
In Lyon, around 250 people marched in the middle of the day at the call of the UNEF and several left-wing parties, according to the prefecture.
In Bordeaux, around a hundred people gathered at Place de la Victoire on the occasion of a “celebration of the sacrificed generation”.
Images of the strong mobilization of #students in #Paris against the precariousness and abandonment of youth by the State- # Macron, which has many other priorities than solidarity towards "those who are nothing" ... # childrens students # France # 16mars
🎥@TaoualitAmarpic.twitter.com/Pny5LAik9T
- 🌿🐝 Реми φ🍒 (@Callystor) March 16, 2021
"There is a lot of psychological distress"
“There is a lot of psychological distress and dropping out of school at university.
The prospect of getting up and spending the day in front of your computer is no longer possible, ”explained Tristan Marin Barbosa, 19, in the second year of psychology.
Coming to support the students, Martin Zumpe, 51, professor of economics at the University of Bordeaux, observes students "in great distress" on a daily basis and calls for "a 100% full face-to-face return", to fight against "the 'massacre' of online education.
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