Louise Sallé / Photo credit: NICOLAS GUYONNET / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 13:53 p.m., December 11, 2023

In his announcements on 6 December, Gabriel Attal, Minister of National Education, mentioned the return of school uniforms. An experiment will begin at the beginning of the next school year in several communities that have volunteered. The latter will have to assume part of the funding.

The return of uniforms to schools is becoming clearer. The Ministry of National Education has sent a letter to voluntary communities, which are waiting to find out if they will be selected to participate in an experiment from the start of the next school year. The "standard outfit" that the pupils will have to wear is not mentioned in this letter, which Europe 1 has obtained, but will have to be decided locally.

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It won't necessarily be a complete outfit, as it couldn't only include pieces for tops. Imposing it will also require a change in the school's internal rules and this uniform will have to be worn during any teaching-related activity that takes place outside the school grounds.

"It can't be the responsibility of local authorities"

The funding will be shared between the State and the local authorities, which displeases Frédéric Leturque, mayor of Arras in the Pas-de-Calais, also vice-president of the Association of Mayors of France, in charge of education. "Obviously, it can't be the responsibility of local authorities. Finally, where are we going? Communities will not be able to find their way around. It's good that it's not up to the families, but I hope that the communities that have mobilized will remain motivated to make the experiment happen. Everyone will do it according to his or her own conscience."

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Several communities have already expressed interest in implementing this uniform. The cities of Tourcoing, Nice, Béziers, Perpignan, but also the departments of Allier, Alpes-Maritimes and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.