Children should “very likely” be able to remove the mask indoors at school “before the end of the school year”, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said on Sunday.
The end of the indoor mask at school, “that it is something possible after several weeks, yes I believe it. And so it is very likely – I use this adverb voluntarily – what will happen before the end of the school year, ”said Jean-Michel Blanquer on France info and France Inter, in partnership with Le Monde.
“It is my dearest wish that as soon as possible it can go away,” he added. “We are both keen to lighten as much as possible for the children and at the same time wish to protect them as much as possible. So it is this double benchmark that we have, ”continued the Minister of National Education.
“But again, it is eminently desirable that the mask can be removed from children as soon as possible, and so that is I hope what will happen”, he added, before specifying that this should be done “in the spring”. “I think it’s the right formula,” he said.
No more outdoor masks at the start of the school year
The government announced on Friday a relaxation of the health protocol in schools on the return from school holidays in each zone, which will go back from level 3 to level 2 in primary school due to the improvement in the health situation. This means in particular the end of wearing a mask outdoors in the playground in elementary schools. However, students will keep the mask in class at this stage.
The rules will also be relaxed for tests: from February 28, contact case students will no longer have to do three but only one after two days (D2), and the sworn statements of tests submitted by families at school will be discontinued on February 21.
“I am obviously very happy to be able to have this new relief. And then I hope that we will gradually take steps”, underlined Jean-Michel Blanquer.