Virginie Riva, edited by Manon Fossat 3:23 p.m., August 26, 2021

Jean-Michel Blanquer took stock, Thursday morning, during a press point, on the system put in place to ensure a smooth back-to-school period in terms of health.

The Minister of National Education says he is confident, while the unions are more measured.

In an unstable epidemic context linked to Covid-19, the Minister of National Education gave a press conference on Thursday to explain how the return to class would take place.

Closing as few classes as possible and preserving students' education will therefore be the two pillars of this new school year.

Jean-Michel Blanquer presented his plan this Thursday while assuring that "we can be completely serene about this new school year" which "will take place".

89% of teachers with a complete vaccination schedule

According to an Ipsos survey commissioned by rue de Grenelle, 89% of teachers are in the process of having a complete vaccination schedule.

The Minister was therefore delighted, recalling that there will be no vaccination obligation for staff.

Jean-Michel Blanquer once again justified maintaining the protocol at level 2 which allows all students to be welcomed in person.

According to these rules, a case of Covid-19 in a classroom in the primary sector results in a shutdown, as in June.

In middle and high school, in the event of contamination in a classroom, only students with unvaccinated contact cases will have to isolate themselves for a week.

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With, according to him, a second reassuring element: the first returns of the new school year in Reunion, ten days ago.

"By definition, this health crisis puts us in front of uncertainties. If I refer to the island of Reunion, where we have a circulation of the virus which is not negligible and where we have implemented the same protocol as in metropolitan France, we are less than 2% closed for classes. So we think that we can have some control over that but if necessary, there will be a lot of closed classes, "he warned.

A confident minister, therefore, but all the same cautious.

The mask not mandatory outdoors

Jean-Michel Blanquer also clarified again things on the wearing of the mask outside.

At this point, it is still not mandatory during recess.

Contrary to what Jean Castex announced Thursday morning, and no specific measure has either been taken for the day of the start of the school year, where the risk is to see many groups of parents near schools. 

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"Of course, we will encounter difficulties, of course, there will be problems, we put ourselves in a position to manage," he said at a press conference. "There will inevitably be new measures in the coming times depending on the situation," warned Jean-Michel Blanquer. These changes can be local. In the West Indies and in the red zones of Guyana, for example, the start of the school year was postponed from September 2 to 13 because of the "serious" health situation there.