Europe 1 with AFP 8:46 am, September 13, 2021

Last Tuesday, the Minister of Education indicated that 545 classes were closed in France.

A figure that has grown exponentially to reach 3,000 today and should increase further according to Jean-Michel Blanquer.

He also said he hoped to exceed "very quickly" three-quarters of vaccinated among 12-17 year olds. 

In total, "a little more than 3,000" classes are closed in France because of the Covid-19 epidemic, a figure which represents barely 0.5% of the 540,000 classes in the country but is progressing exponentially, announced Jean -Michel Blanquer Monday.

The Minister of National Education had indeed indicated last Tuesday to the National Assembly that 545 classes were closed.

"We expect that this will increase over the next few days and then stabilize, before falling again, if it follows the curve that we have had each time we return from vacation", underlined Jean-Michel Blanquer in an interview with

Le Parisien-Aujourd ' 'hui in France

.

54% of 12-17 year olds "fully vaccinated"

The minister also announced that "67% of 12-17 year olds have had a dose and 54% are fully vaccinated" against Covid-19.

"By the end of the month, all students will have had a proposal through their establishment, and we hope to exceed three-quarters of vaccinated very quickly," he added, ten days after the start of the school year . 

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For this, the ministry retained the health protocol of "level 2" (out of 4) which authorizes all the pupils to be accommodated in face-to-face and requires them to wear a mask indoors, except in kindergarten.

A case of Covid in a primary school class leads to a closure, as in June.

In the event of contamination in middle or high school, only students with unvaccinated contact cases must isolate themselves for one week.

In office for four years, three months and twenty-seven days, Jean-Michel Blanquer broke the longevity record for a Minister of National Education under the Fifth Republic, now ahead of Christian Fouchet (December 1962-April 1967).

"It's a symbolic date. It makes sense in that it means that this function can be stable," he commented.