• Long awaited for funding in dilapidated schools in Marseille, the President of the Republic disconcerted by announcing 50 laboratory schools from the next school year.

  • Parents of students, teachers' unions and school directors, who could thus choose their teams, denounce the remarks of the electoral campaign, far from the realities and expectations on the ground.

The announcement had the effect of a small bomb. "We were waiting for a check, an amount, a deadline for the schools of Marseille, he made a commitment to nothing", summarizes Séverine Gil, president of the association of parents of pupils MPE-13, still under the shock of the 'experiment launched Thursday evening by Emmanuel Macron of 50 laboratory schools in Marseille, from the start of the 2022 school year. Without a word therefore on the level of funding by the State for heavy renovation work in the 174 Marseille schools that need it urgent.

At the heart of this “school of the future” project: the freedom of choice of teachers by the directors for, according to the president, “that they are fully motivated, that they adhere to the educational project”.

"Neither the city nor the citizens have asked him for laboratory schools, we just want the children to go to schools in good condition, as a result we are still losing time," continues Séverine Gil, overwhelmed.

"A candidate's speech"

"He should already make sure to make the school of the present work", echoed Franck Delestraz, departmental secretary of the teachers' union SE-Unsa. For us, it is really a candidate's speech, which flirts with a certain electorate. The problem of the Marseille school is not the problem of the motivation of the teachers. It implies that there is no project, but the projects we have them, give us the means to do them correctly! Already, to enforce the PE program and to be able to take the children to the swimming pool, in a context of shortage. "

"They know very well what we need", assures Mohamed *, who has just "made 300 students enter the portal alone" in his school classified as REP + in Marseille.

"It was Macron who put an end in 2017 to administrative jobs supported in schools," he recalls.

Director of another 16-class school, also in a priority education zone, Frédéric has no desire to become the hierarchical superior of his colleagues.

A rather stable team to hear it, "contrary to popular belief".

"We are so much in the political ad, it is quite hopeless," he sighs.

It is apart from concerns about the state of the building, the premises, that does not solve anything ”.

"The number of students who do not want to pee and poo in the toilet ..."

"The fact that they are all united, that is precisely what saves schools, which allows them to maintain and ensure their public service mission despite everything", also launches Cécile Baron, parent of a pupil and member of the Collective of schools in Marseille, very active on the subject. She does not hide her "big disappointment", after a speech "very disconnected from the field". Teacher in a school in the 3rd arrondissement of Marseille, Azur * deals with these realities on a daily basis. “The first point is all the same to secure the premises and make them welcoming places,” he explains. The number of students who do not want to pee and poo in the toilet, and who do not enjoy eating in the canteen. This is where the first needs are, this is the basis. "

So, is the president totally irrelevant about Marseille schools? Not completely to always listen to Azur, for whom a "reflection must be carried out on a different school". “For example, I work with Montessori tools, it might be interesting to build a team, a project so that there is continuity for the students from one year to the next. And the idea of ​​bringing in people from outside would be a real plus if they are speech therapists, social workers, there are things to do. "

"I find that the idea is simple in the absolute, but dangerous when you dig it, you have to put safeguards everywhere", he nuances.

And to ask the question: "How not to fall into cronyism to recruit staff?

And not to fall into the pitfalls of secondary school, where you have to be well with the headteacher to have an extra hour? ”

"In a city plagued by patronage, creating local recruitment is still a funny solution", for its part reacted the teachers' union FSU 13.

* The first names were changed at the request of the interviewees.

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  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Society

  • Marseilles

  • Education

  • Primary school

  • Teacher