"We are here in a town where a very large social work is done, greeted Jean-Michel Blanquer, Minister of National Education, on a visit this Tuesday to the Ferdinand-Buisson school group, classified in REP +, in Villiers-le -Bel.
Among the very good things, the breakfast operation.
Started in 2019, it was slowed down with confinement and is starting again.
This is done to offset the effects of the crisis.
"
With Olivier Véran, Minister of Solidarity and Health, Nathalie Elimas, Secretary of State in charge of Priority Education, and Adrien Taquet, Secretary of State in charge of Children and Families, Jean-Michel Blanquer came to present the modalities for the redeployment of these breakfasts at school in priority education network establishments.
"The installation was complicated"
In Val-d'Oise, of the twelve towns in the department with schools classified as REP or REP +, only Garges-lès-Gonesse had integrated the system from its launch at the start of the 2019 school year. In Villiers-le-Bel, the Breakfasts were set up from January 2020, first in two schools in Derrière-les-Murs-de-Monseigneur: Ferdinand-Buisson and Emile-Zola.
"We decided to play the game but the implementation was complicated," admits the mayor (DVG) Jean-Louis Marsac.
In Villiers-le-Bel, the system has already gained momentum with six new schools entering the system in September 2020, particularly in the Puits-la-Marlière district, bringing the operation to ten schools out of the twenty-two in the commune.
This system responds to a sad observation: 13% of children enrolled in priority education arrive at school hungry.
“This system is all the more important because of the health crisis.
Often, the food budget is the first to be sacrificed and children are the first victims of food insecurity, ”considers Adrien Taquet.
A carton of milk and a piece of fruit
The target audience will therefore be broadened and the breakfasts will also concern schools outside priority education "welcoming a socially fragile audience".
"We are going from one to two breakfasts to go up to four per week, depending on the needs identified and the resources available in the establishments", indicates Nathalie Elimas.
Villiers-le-Bel, this Tuesday.
The ministers participated in the distribution of the breakfast in a first class class.
Prefecture of Val-d'Oise
These breakfasts can be deployed at the end of extracurricular time or at the start of the class, as is the case at Ferdinand-Buisson.
They are offered on Tuesdays and Fridays, in all classes and all levels.
“The school opens at 8:20 am.
The schoolchildren go up to the classes and take a carton of milk and a piece of fruit.
This lasts until 8:45 am.
We would not have accepted if it did not concern all the pupils, ”says Saïd Mokhtari, the director of the elementary school.
Schoolchildren on time and more focused
According to him, despite "some reluctance at the beginning", the device was put in place "rather quickly and fairly well, especially since we have noticed benefits for children".
“The first effect is that they are present on time.
We have also seen better learning because the students are more focused because they are not hungry.
Work around language or nutrition is offered by teachers.
"
“The parents of Villiers-le-Bel were satisfied with the device but wondered about its duration.
We found that it was a good idea but that it had to be generalized in all schools to avoid this partitioning between REP / REP + and the other zones.
Sometimes, children do not eat breakfast not for lack of money but for lack of time, ”says Mariam Rahhali, co-president of FCPE 95, who also pleads for“ the free canteen for all ”.
“Massive” deployment at the start of the 2021 school year
The budget paid by the State is now 1.30 euros per breakfast against one euro previously, where the cost is estimated at 1.20 euros on average per meal.
“The state endowment has increased.
We will distribute as many as needed ”, continues the Secretary of State who does not mention“ no maximum envelope ”.
Over the previous period, € 12 million had been allocated but the total amount was not distributed due to confinement.
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At Ferdinand-Buisson, breakfasts resumed a few weeks after the start of the September academic year and continue despite the staggered return to school.
"We noticed some difficulties among families with confinement," says Saïd Mokhtari.
An opinion shared by the mayor: “The precariousness has worsened.
We have had alerts on a certain number of families and we see the mobilization of charitable associations and our CCAS
(Editor's note: communal center for social action)
”.
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Jean-Louis Marsac intends to vote for the next school year to modify the family quotient for restaurants and leisure centers.
Regarding breakfasts, “we will try to continue this momentum.
If the credits stop thereafter, we will not be able to go back because we have crossed a course ”.
Bring parents to school
“There was a financial brake and a logistical brake, continues Nathalie Elimas.
We play on the financial brake by making an extra effort.
As for the distribution of breakfasts, the objective is to mobilize the educational alliance and, from the next school year, if the health situation allows it, to bring parents back to school to help distribute and integrate the principles. healthy eating.
"
The objective is to “massively” deploy the measure from September 2021. The list of new municipalities has not yet been communicated.
“Argenteuil should integrate the device.
Elected officials who want to can be tested to be operational at the start of the next school year, ”continues Nathalie Elimas, who insists on“ flexibility ”and“ support ”.