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Covid-19: hardened protocol at school and gradual return of students to college

2021-01-14T19:13:54.312Z


Indoor sports activities will be "suspended for a few weeks". On the one hand, an epidemic that is progressing, with the arrival of a variant of Covid, which is more contagious, especially among children. On the other hand, students' distress and the risk of dropping out of school. The government has weighed the pros and cons. While in Europe, countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany have closed their schools, the French executive has chosen to


On the one hand, an epidemic that is progressing, with the arrival of a variant of Covid, which is more contagious, especially among children.

On the other hand, students' distress and the risk of dropping out of school.

The government has weighed the pros and cons.

While in Europe, countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany have closed their schools, the French executive has chosen to keep its schools open and to allow, from January 25, the gradual return of students to university.

But all this will be done "

under conditions

", said Thursday the Prime Minister, Jean Castex.

Read also:

Covid-19: what are our neighbors doing to contain the spread of the epidemic in schools?

In schools, colleges and high schools, the health protocol will be more

"strict"

, explained the Minister of Education.

Starting with the canteen, this "

weak link

", which sees students gather together, without masks.

At primary school, "

the students of the same class will have lunch every day at the same table

", detailed Jean-Michel Blanquer, who evokes a spread of services and "

as a last resort, take-out meals

".

Indoor school and extracurricular sports activities will be "

suspended for a few weeks

".

“Hybrid” education (distance and face-to-face) which has been imposed since early November in 70% of high schools, will be maintained “

beyond January 20

”.

The return to 100% in establishments, mentioned before the Christmas holidays, is no longer on the agenda.

The final year students, who are preparing for the bac, will be welcomed in person as a priority.

Indoor and extra-curricular sports activities will be "suspended for a few weeks"

Jean-Michel Blanquer

The Covid screening strategy in National Education will be more targeted.

In the presence of three cases of contamination in the same establishment, the students and staff must be systematically tested.

A turning point in this blind test campaign: since November, only 10,000 tests have been carried out on a voluntary basis in the high schools of around ten academies.

From now on 300,000 will be made per week, on targeted populations, ie more than 1 million per month.

A strategy that could perhaps finally bring concrete elements on the contagiousness of the youngest.

In December, the British Scientific Council warned that adolescents aged 12 to 16 were seven times more at risk of introducing the coronavirus into a household than those over 17.

Resumption of TD at the end of January

Unlike previous press conferences, which now punctuate the lives of the French, the Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, was present Thursday among the six ministers accompanying Jean Castex.

Because the situation of the students is "

a source of major concern for the government

", explained the latter, evoking their "

deep feeling of isolation

" and their "

psychological difficulties

".

After the suicide attempt of a law student in Villeurbanne, who threw himself from the window of his university room on Saturday, the issue of student mental health increasingly appears to be a real time bomb.

"

We are fully aware of their discouragement, especially those who live alone,

" said Frédérique Vidal Thursday.

She announced a doubling of the number of psychologists for universities and of "

new social personnel for emergency aid

".

Read also:

How the Covid-19 upset higher education

While since the beginning of January, students in great difficulty (handicapped, foreigners, first year) have resumed face-to-face in a dribble, the executive announced Thursday a resumption of tutorials in half-group for students of first year.

"

If the health situation allows"

, the other levels will follow, said Jean Castex.

This Friday, he will meet, along with the Minister of Higher Education, the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) and student unions, in order to build a staggered start.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-01-14

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