Clotilde Dumay, edited by Mélanie Faure 08:09, September 08, 2022

The closure of around thirty public swimming pools complicates the start of the school year for some children in their learning to swim.

A decision by Vert Marine, due to an excessively high energy bill.

In 2021, more than a third of accidental drowning victims were no older than 12.

If these closures only concern 1% of French public swimming pools, PE teachers are worried.

Dominique Parvillé has no fixed swimming pool.

The PE teacher gave lessons at the Aquapolis to his sixth-grade classes in Limoges, but the establishment has been closed since Monday.

The problem is that entering college is the last step to obtain the "Knowing how to swim" certificate, which is compulsory for practicing a nautical activity.

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“On arrival in sixth grade, we have around 30% of students in our college who cannot swim, so we are supposed to validate their “Knowing how to swim” in the texts. The texts for 5th, 4th, 3rd, even du high school don't talk about "Knowing how to swim" as an obligation. So it's extremely complicated to go to the swimming pool, to be able to have time slots for students after 6th grade. For those who haven't learned to swim, it's often very complicated afterwards."

PE classes canceled this winter?

In France, there are 800,000 children who have already been unable to learn to swim because of Covid-19.

And the situation could get worse: 10% of large cities, members of the France Urbaine association, plan to close their swimming pools this winter.

Dominique Parvillé even fears that these students will be deprived of other sports.

"We already have some municipalities who have warned that they may not be able to heat the gymnasiums during the winter. If there is no heating, unfortunately, we will be forced not to do EPS."

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Sport, including swimming which is a national priority, is nevertheless part of the compulsory lessons in college, at the rate of four hours per week in 6th grade, and three hours for the other levels.