While the Scientific Council called on the government, in an opinion issued on Saturday, to take health restriction measures during the end of year celebrations, postponing the start of the school year at the beginning of January is not fashionable, according to Jean- Michel Blanquer.
"The school is not an adjustment variable, it is the last thing to close", explained the Minister of National Education this Sunday on BFMTV, in the middle of the fifth wave of Covid-19 and facing the propagation of the Omicron variant.
The postponement of the start of the school year, acclaimed by several political figures, including the Republican candidate Valérie Pécresse, "is not a privileged hypothesis" for the moment, added Jean-Michel Blanquer, specifying that the saturation of hospitals would nevertheless remain decisive in decision making.
"The school is a sanctuary"
The day before, the president of the Île-de-France region had considered at the microphone of TF1 that the government was "cornered" and that it had no other choice but to take new measures.
“We have to prepare for the start of the school year.
And preparing for the start of the new school year, that probably means postponing the start of the new school year by a week, to protect the French, ”she said.
"The government is cornered and it no longer has a choice.
We will be vigilant in parliament but what I am asking is to prepare for the start of the school year and that probably means postponing the start of the school year by a week to protect the French . "💬 @ vpecresse #PassVaccinal ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/5IdMGPY5h0
- Pécresse 2022 🇫🇷 (@avecValerie) December 18, 2021
The hypothesis of a health pass for teachers is not "on the agenda" either, according to the minister.
"The school is a sanctuary, there must not be factors which prevent those who work there, as well the staff as the pupils, to go there", he explained, recalling that the professors " were among the most vaccinated professions ”, with more than 90% vaccinated according to the latest data.
If the school is an exception, the hypothesis of a health pass in the company should however be explored in the coming weeks by the government and the social partners.
"We want to avoid strong constraints"
"
In total, 2,875 classes were closed, which represents 0.5% of primary classes ", closed after a case of Covid-19, said Jean-Michel Blanquer, further explaining that" to keep the school open "was to remain a top priority. France was one of the first countries in Europe and the world to reopen its schools despite the pandemic. "We do not have to regret it in retrospect, all the countries of the world today are based on our doctrine", he commented.
"Parents can go in a reassured manner for the vaccination of their children," insisted the Minister of National Education, while the vaccination of 5-11 year olds should be authorized as of next Wednesday.
Is compulsory vaccination for the youngest planned?
"Experience teaches us to never say
something is not going to happen
, but I want everyone to get vaccinated on a voluntary basis," replied Jean-Michel Blanquer.
"We want to prevent the French from another episode of strong constraints," he said, referring to the confinement imposed on the Netherlands.
We could pass the Omicron wave serenely if everyone was vaccinated ”
