In Paris, Strasbourg, Lille, Toulouse or even Rennes, hundreds of students demonstrated on Wednesday January 20 to denounce the deterioration of their daily existence with the health crisis linked to Covid-19.

Having been deprived of face-to-face lessons for more than two months, unlike students in high schools, preparatory classes or BTS, many students experience a feeling of injustice.

>> To see: Covid-19 in France: the discomfort of students facing a confinement that lasts

In Paris, in front of the Crous (regional center for university and school works) of Port-Royal, a procession of a few hundred demonstrators calmly joined the Ministry of Higher Education, waving signs on which one could read "Face-to-face , essential product "or" incompetent politics, dying youth ", noted an AFP journalist.

"Get by with this"

In front of the buildings of the University of Rennes 2, where some 250 students have gathered, Josselin, 21, also came to express his "despair in the face of loneliness".

"It's hard, it's been a year since I am all alone facing myself in my 18m2. Today I received my first lesson in PDF and 'get by with that'. There are teachers who don't even make the effort to make visios anymore.

Last week, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that first-year university students could resume face-to-face tutorials in half-groups from January 25.

This measure will then extend, "if the health situation allows it, to students of other levels", he added, without giving a date.

President Emmanuel Macron will visit him Thursday at the University of Paris Saclay.

On the sidelines of a visit on the theme of research in quantum physics, he is to meet students and "could announce new support measures," a government source told AFP.

"We feel abandoned"

"We are asking for real help, a reopening of faculties in small groups with a strict health protocol, psychologists and psychiatrists to monitor the students - currently, there is only one shrink for 30,000 students in France, that's far too little while demand continues to increase ... We feel abandoned, "listed one of the demonstrators from Lille, Alexandra Mouton, 22, a student in Master 1 in political science.

>> To read: Covid-19: the galley of African students in France

Several recent studies have measured a rise in student malaise.

In recent weeks, several suicides or attempts have been recorded.

The government has expressed its "concern" at the "deep feeling of isolation" of the students and announced a reinforcement of psychologists and social workers.

A psychological support check, which consists of financing consultations with a city psychologist for students in difficulty, should also see the light of day.

However, the announcements were insufficient in the eyes of the unions.

"We have the impression that the government is not taking the measure of the situation," laments Mélanie Luce, president of the UNEF.

The student union has quantified its "emergency plan" for students at 1.5 billion euros and calls in particular for an immediate increase in grants and housing assistance.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR