Home schooling will be "strictly limited" at the start of the 2021 school year announced the Head of State on Friday, October 2. An announcement that makes families furious.
Soon the end of home education? In any case, it looks like it is taking the path. Emmanuel Macron declared, Friday, October 2, that home schooling would be, from the start of the 2021 school year, "strictly limited, in particular to health requirements ”, and "Education at school" would be returned "obligatory" from the age of three. The Head of State unveiled this measure while presenting his action plan to better protect the Republic against separatism.
Around 50,000 children are currently in family schooling, half of them for medical reasons.
Sick or disabled children, who represent half of this number, will be able to continue this form of education. Like the children of homeless families and high-level athletes, the Ministry of Education said. Could there be other exceptions? This is what we expect to see. Basically, this announcement marks a turning point in the history of the school. "The possibility of educating children at home is written in black and white in Jules Ferry's law of 1882 … It can be considered that over time it has become a republican tradition, highlighted Bernard Toulemonde, associate professor of public law, interviewed by Liberation. And therefore, as such, to be elevated to the rank of fundamental freedom ”.
In short, the debate promises to be heated and parents were quick to express their discontent. The Children First Association, which brings together families not attending school, said it was "revolted" by the announcements of the Head of State. "We must not confuse family education and underground schools. It has nothing to do with it," Claudia Renaud said on France Info. According to her, "family education "saves a number of children who are destroyed by school. It allows them to regain confidence in themselves and in their ability to learn." Very mobilized on the issue, Axelle Girard director of Educ'France has launched a petition to demand the abandonment of this measure.
The bill will be debated in the Council of Ministers on December 9. Until then, associations and parents fully intend to continue to make their voices heard.
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