• Jean Castex, Jean-Michel Blanquer and Olivier Véran held a press conference this Thursday to take stock of the coronavirus epidemic and the resumption of classes next Monday.

  • As expected, kindergartens and schoolchildren will return to classes next week.

    For middle and high school students, it will be from May 3.

  • The government also wants to speed up screening, by strengthening the use of saliva tests and distributing self-tests for high school students and staff.

A re-entry under close surveillance.

After three weeks of cutoff (the first with distance learning) to stem the third wave of coronavirus, some of the French students will be back on their way to school on Monday.

A recovery whose outlines were detailed this Thursday at a press conference by Jean Castex, Jean-Michel Blanquer and Olivier Véran.

While the numbers for the epidemic remain at their highest,

20 Minutes

has compiled you what to remember.

Who will resume classes on Monday?

As Emmanuel Macron announced in his speech on March 31, kindergarten and school students (nurseries are also concerned) will reopen their doors next week.

Because despite the risk of contamination, "the damage caused by the prolonged closure of schools is catastrophic", justified the Prime Minister.

"Children need school, it is fundamental on the educational, social and psychological levels", added the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer.

For middle and high school students - again as planned - this April 26 will only mark the return ... of distance learning courses.

The face-to-face event will only take place for them from May 3.

Will they then all be present in the classes?

No.

Before the third confinement, the high schools operated in a hybrid model, with half of the students present and the other remotely.

This system will be renewed for all high schools in the territory.

In middle school, 6th and 5th year students will resume classes normally.

On the other hand, for 4th and 3rd year students, it is the hybrid mode (half-gauge per class) which will be implemented in the departments most affected by the epidemic.

What will be the protocol in kindergartens and schools on Monday?

Again, we take the same ones and start over.

The protocol which was in force at the end of March does not change: a case of Covid-19 detected in a class means its immediate closure.

All the students in the group are then considered as a contact case and must be isolated for seven days.

This measure will apply to all levels, throughout the territory.

Will saliva tests still be used in schools?

Yes.

At the end of March, between 250,000 and 300,000 saliva tests were carried out each week in establishments, according to Jean Castex.

The government wants to ramp up to 400,000 tests per week on resumption, and 600,000 in mid-May.

Schoolchildren are concerned, but also college students.

What is planned to test high school students and staff?

In its last opinion, the Scientific Council considered that the use of self-tests is “suitable” for “children in middle and high schools”.

That's good, because the high school students will have to use it when they come back to class.

The government will distribute it so that each high school student can do one self-test per week.

Tutorials will be broadcast next week by qualified people, said Jean-Michel Blanquer.

The goal: to be ready to start these weekly self-tests from May 10, in a dedicated place within the establishment.

Education professionals will receive two self-tests to do at home each week, and can start next week, the Prime Minister said.

And for college students?

Self-tests are currently recommended for people over 15 years old.

But an opinion must be issued next week by the HAS concerning college students.

And if his opinion proves favorable, "we will see to deploy them more widely," said the head of government.

What do teachers' unions think?

Before the speech on Thursday, they had put the pressure by calling in particular for a massive screening of staff and students.

Another request is increased vaccination of teachers.

Slots have been dedicated to them since last weekend, like other professions, for those over 55.

But "only 16% are over 55 years old," noted Jean-Rémi Girard, from Snalc (secondary).

This same union demanded a stricter protocol in the canteens.

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  • Covid 19

  • Jean Castex

  • Primary school

  • Education

  • Coronavirus

  • Society