This Thursday, January 14, Prime Minister Jean Castex and Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer announced that schools remain open with a reinforced health protocol.
Closing schools is not an option, the government said, lamenting that the first lockdown had “Widened inequalities and increased the risk of dropping out of school”.
To keep the school rhythm going, schools will remain open but with a health protocol “At a somewhat stricter level”, specified Jean-Michel Blanquer, in order to “Maintain the widest possible protection for staff and students” and “To ensure the continuity of learning”. The proposed measures will be effective from January 15 and for the next 15 days.
A “hybrid mode” that works
For a few months now, some middle schools (only the 4th and 3rd grades) and high schools have opted for the “hybrid mode” with part of the distance learning courses and another face-to-face. An operation that will continue to be deployed beyond January 20.
"It works", said Jean-Michel Blanquer, indicating that two thirds of high schools would have chosen this option. "We consider it to be effective", he continued, alerting to the need for a “Particular vigilance” especially for final year students. Thus, certain subjects can be done face-to-face when possible.
The canteen: a cluster for students?
During his press briefing, the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer indicated that lunch time is "Possibly a weak link since it is a time when you take off the mask and eating collectively can be a moment of contamination."
Thus, the mixing of students will be prohibited. In addition, each class will have to eat together with a break that can be lengthened or, some schools will be able to offer take-out meals.
No more indoor sport
In the process, the government also announced that school and extra-curricular indoor sports activities will be “Suspended” for several weeks.
Bad news in the middle of winter, teachers will have to choose between outdoor lessons, which will not be possible everywhere and for everyone, and the elimination of lessons. Pity.
A massive vaccination campaign
To stem the crisis of covid-19 and its variants, massive screenings will be carried out in schools with a target of 300,000 tests per week.
As a reminder, the government hopes to vaccinate a million people by the end of January.