"One year that I am alone in front of myself": hundreds of students took to the streets this Wednesday across France to denounce the devastating effects of the health crisis on their daily existence.
In Paris, Strasbourg, Lille, Toulouse or even Rennes, this day of mobilization aimed to "defend the living and study conditions of students", explained Mélanie Luce, the president of the UNEF, originally with other left-wing political and trade union organizations (UNL, Student Solidarity, young communists, young rebels, young environmentalists, etc.)
Private for more than two months of face-to-face lessons, unlike students in high schools, preparatory classes or BTS, many students experience a feeling of injustice.
"Agonizing youth"
In Paris, in front of the Crous de Port-Royal, a procession of a few hundred demonstrators calmly joined the Ministry of Higher Education, brandishing placards on which one could read “Face-to-face, essential product” or even “incompetent policy. , agonizing youth ”.
“It made me react to seeing students who wanted to kill themselves.
For the first time in my life, I myself thought of my own death a few weeks ago ", testifies Titouan, in second year of philosophy at the Sorbonne, evoking a" too much isolation "and" a loss of meaning ”.
In front of the buildings of the University of Rennes 2, where some 250 students gathered, 21-year-old Josselin also came to express his "despair in the face of loneliness".
“It's hard, it's been a year since I am all alone facing myself in my 18 m2.
Today I received my first PDF lesson and
get by with it
.
There are teachers who no longer even make the effort to make visios.
"
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Last week, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that first-year university students could resume face-to-face tutorials in half-groups from January 25.
This measure will then extend, "if the health situation allows it, to students of other levels," he added, without giving a date.
Emmanuel Macron will visit him Thursday at the University of Paris Saclay.
On the sidelines of a visit on the theme of research in quantum physics, he is to meet students and "could announce new support measures," said a government source.
Months of diffuse unease
"We are asking for real help, a reopening of faculties in small groups with a strict health protocol, psychologists and psychiatrists to follow the students - currently, there is only one shrink for 30,000 students in France, that is. far too little while demand continues to increase… We feel abandoned, ”listed one of the demonstrators from Lille, Alexandra Mouton, 22, a student in Master 1 in political science.
Lille, January 20, 2021. Students demonstrated in front of the University of Lille./AFP/Denis Charlet
Recent studies have measured a rise in student malaise.
In recent weeks, several suicides or attempts have been recorded.
This mobilization, after months of diffuse unease, took shape with the appearance for several days of the hash word “#etudiantsfantomes” on social networks.
“Obtaining my diploma through Teams is not my first idea… visio jour 467646743654 #etudiantsfantomes”, we can read for example on Twitter.
Or again: "This morning I discovered that my teacher will not be doing the semester course AND that it is up to us students to find the course on the Internet… #etudiantsfantomes".
Obtaining my diploma by teams is not my first idea .. visio jour 467646743654 #etudiantsfantomes
- Emlaml 🔻 (@Amlhdl) January 19, 2021
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The government expressed its “concern” at the “deep feeling of isolation” of the students and announced a reinforcement of psychologists and social workers.
A psychological support check, which consists of financing consultations with a city psychologist for students in difficulty, should also see the light of day.
However, the announcements were insufficient in the eyes of the unions.
"We have the impression that the government is not taking the measure of the situation," laments Mélanie Luce.
The UNEF has quantified its “emergency plan” for students at 1.5 billion euros and calls in particular for an immediate increase in grants and housing assistance.
