For the second year in a row, the Covid-19 will have an impact on the organization of the start of the school year which takes place this Thursday, September 2 in mainland France. The Minister of Education announced ...

Back to school in France: the health protocol does not convince the teaching unions

In France, the government has adopted the level 2 health protocol for the start of the school year allowing all students to return to class (illustrative image, taken on March 30, 2021).

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

For the second year in a row, the Covid-19 will have an impact on the organization of the start of the school year which takes place this Thursday, September 2 in mainland France.

The Minister of Education announced on Sunday the implementation of health protocol 2 on a scale of 4 established in relation to the circulation of the virus.

Advertising

The Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer hopes a year "

as normal as possible

" for the students.

To protect teachers, staff and students, the ministry enforces level 2 of the health protocol in all schools.

Like last year, all students must wear a mask indoors, except in kindergarten.

The establishments will also have to reinforce the ventilation of the premises.

This protocol also provides for the closure of a primary class as soon as a first case of Covid-19 is registered.

A measure demanded by the unions.

In middle and high school, it is the vaccination that will make the difference in 12-17 year olds.

Indeed, if a case of Covid is identified in this age group, the infected student and all contact cases who are not vaccinated will then have to isolate themselves for a week and follow the courses remotely.

One way for the National Education to encourage the youngest to be vaccinated.

But, for teachers, this process only further widens the already existing educational inequalities.

A scenario criticized by the unions

Two days before the opening of schools, the Snes-FSU, the main secondary teachers' union, finds the ministry's protocol insufficient.

He particularly wants a strengthening of the tests which, according to him, would make it possible to better monitor the circulation of the virus and find alternatives to the isolation of students.

“

We know that today it is one of the blind spots of the health protocol.
There are almost no more tests in middle and high school whereas it is a way to check the circulation of the virus and therefore to take measures very quickly,

”assures Sophie Ventitay, general secretary of the union.

In an epidemic context that is still uncertain and where the incidence rates differ according to the departments,

“We

will also certainly have to adapt very quickly in departments where the circulation of the virus is very active,

” she continues.

So shouldn't we go to level 3 now?

To all these questions, the union calls for quick answers.

# Rentree2021 # Re-entrySNES The health situation once again crushes this re-entry.

The ministry is light-hearted.

Two days before the start of the school year, there are still too many unanswered questions.

The minister is still not out of his denial.

@SVenetitay

- SNES-FSU (@SNESFSU) August 30, 2021

Jean-Michel Blanquer warned that there would be "

inevitably new measures in the time to come depending on the situation

These changes can be local, he said.

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 due to the "

serious

health situation

there.

► See also: France: back to school postponed in the West Indies and Guyana due to Covid-19

Back to school in France: the health protocol does not convince the teaching unions

Back to school in France: the health protocol does not convince the teaching unions

A scenario criticized by the unions

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest