• This Thursday, the little Lille children were back to school just like all the children in France.

  • The novelty for first degree students in Lille was the free school supplies.

    The measure was adopted by city council last June.

  • A global budget of 600,000 euros has been allocated by the city to the 120 nursery and elementary schools in Lille.

The principle of Jules ferry to the letter. From the start of the 2021 school year, parents of schoolchildren in Lille will no longer have to put their hands in their pockets to buy their children's school supplies. An investment made by the city to promote equality for all students. At Gounod primary school, this Thursday morning, the students each received a back-to-school kit.

Coronavirus epidemic requires, the children of the different sections of the Gounod Lavoisier school, in Lille, entered in successive waves to "avoid the mixing", as recommended by the rector of the academy.

From 8.15 am, therefore, parents and children arrived, the former delighted to find a little freedom, the latter happy to see their friends again.

And on the backs of the little ones, empty satchels.

With the kit, it was the only thing that had to be bought, the rest now being provided by the city.

A "time saving" appreciated in addition to the savings made

"It was my son who chose his satchel and I let him take the most expensive", recognizes Alexandre, the father of a 6-year-old James.

For him, it is not so much the savings that is important: “We are always afraid of making mistakes, of not taking the right supplies.

We no longer have this concern now, ”he rejoices.

For another dad, the argument is more or less the same: “This measure relieves us in terms of organization.

We ended up with huge lists and we had to spend time in the malls, ”he recalls.

A “time saver” generally welcomed by parents.

And as Martine Aubry had promised, this financial effort from the city, amounted to 600,000 euros, is not conditional on the reduction or elimination of the back-to-school allowance (ARS). "We're going to use it to finance James' sporting activity and buy him clothes," says Alexandre. Two expense items that often come up in the speech of parents. No purchase of flat screens with ARS money for these families in Lille despite the savings made thanks to the town hall.

The city funds, but the schools choose the supplies.

"We were simply asked to be the most eco-friendly and sustainable in the choice of products," explains the school principal, Christine Coget.

So, when he unpacks his kit, Juliano discovers in particular a real slate and chalk or a refillable pot of glue.

Faced with these neutral notebooks bearing the effigy of any cartoon hero, we feel the skeptical child.

“Parents are already in competition for their children's clothing.

We release them from that for the supplies, ”insists Martine Aubry.

Commendable, the principle of "equality" claimed by the mayor of Lille still tastes a little bland in the mouths of children.

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  • Education

  • Lille

  • Society

  • Back to School

  • School supplies

  • Martine Aubry