France: the energy crisis complicates the return to school, the threat of closing universities hovers
After two years of Covid, the return to school for students promises to be tense once again due to rising costs linked to inflation and the energy crisis.
AFP - DAMIEN MEYER
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
After two years of Covid, the return to school for students promises to be tense once again due to rising costs linked to inflation and the energy crisis, with the threat of closure of universities which will not be able to pay the bills.
Snesup, the National Union of Higher Education, which was holding its back-to-school conference, expressed its concerns.
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Students wrapped up in anoraks and shivering in lecture halls at 14°C, this is no joke for Anne Roger, general secretary of Snesup, the National Union for Higher Education: “
Unfortunately, these are not all jokes.
It's a reality.
We have quite a few establishments that have given us additional energy costs in their budget, from the beginning of the year, which will range between 2 to 7 million per establishment.
This corresponds to almost 30 to 100 positions in terms of payroll.
»
Towards longer closures?
And as a result, universities will have to make choices: “
To pay the heating bill, we will have to decide not to recruit as many teachers, not to recruit as many administrative staff who run the training.
Or, we have ideas that are appearing now, we may close the establishments for 15 days instead of closing them for a week.
And then, we will use video, etc.
All of that is obviously ideas that we don't subscribe to.
»
Thus, the University of Strasbourg will close two additional weeks this winter to lower its energy bill.
► To read also:
Energy crisis in France: Macron warns that there will be inevitable price increases
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