Louise Sallé / Photo credit: RICCARDO MILANI / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 06:14 a.m., March 11, 2024

After the terrorist attack in Arras, which cost the life of French teacher Dominique Bernard on October 13, the executive promised to strengthen the security of educational establishments.

But due in particular to the instability at the Ministry of Education, nothing has yet been initiated at the national level.

Five months after the attack in Arras on October 13, fatal to French teacher Dominique Bernard, the strengthening of school security is slipping.

The communities met at the Ministry of Education this fall to discuss the issue. 

Gabriel Attal, then Minister of Education, promised to help them finance half of their new protective equipment.

And Elisabeth Borne, Prime Minister, said she was in favor of the generalization of an “alert button” in middle and high schools, which would directly notify the nearest police station or gendarmerie in the event of danger.  

“Not much has happened since October”

But since then, rue de Grenelle has changed tenants twice: Amélie Oudéa-Castéra replaced Gabriel Attal in January, before handing over to Nicole Belloubet.

Regarding the strengthening of security measures for schools, colleges and high schools, nothing has yet been initiated at the national level. 

>>

READ ALSO

- Faced with the shootings, anxiety rises among teachers and parents of students at a school in Nîmes

This is also what the government is accused of by the commission of inquiry into the reporting and treatment of pressure, threats and attacks against teachers, created after the assassination of Samuel Paty, and whose report was made public on March 6 in the Senate. 

“Not much has happened since October, particularly in the dialogue between the State and the communities, since it is a responsibility that is shared,” deplores Laurent Lafon, senator of the centrist Union and co-rapporteur of this commission. 

40% of schools have not invested a single euro in their security since 2015

However, there is an emergency: more than half of schools are not equipped with anti-intrusion alarms.

And since 2015, 40% of them have not invested a single euro in their security to adapt it to the terrorist threat.

These figures come from a flash survey, ordered by the ministry just after the Arras attack, and to which Europe 1 had access. 

>>

READ ALSO

- Attack in Arras: parents worried about the safety of their children in schools

Middle and high schools, too, have their work cut out for them.

According to this same survey, only 1.5% of them have an alert button, and 80% have no video protection system outside their buildings. 

Training for reception staff and agents

“Unfortunately, the assassinations of Dominique Bernard and Samuel Paty did not take place in the establishment, but outside,” continues Laurent Lafon.

“We therefore propose that, with regard to cameras outside establishments, we clearly move towards a generalization of this type of device,” reveals the senator.

In their report, the senators also recommend training staff and reception staff in schools, colleges and high schools in security.

Some regions have taken the lead on this subject, and have been setting up exercises specific to attacks since January.

This is particularly the case for Burgundy Franche-Comté.