“It’s a choice between ourselves”, comments Najat Vallaud-Belkacem

The Minister of Education, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, explained that she put her children in a private school because of absenteeism among the public. For Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, former Minister of National Education, guest of 19/20 info, “private education is completely legitimate in this country (…) but the subject of public policy in terms of education is still based on public, secular, free and compulsory school”.

“Socio-academic separatism”

According to Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, it is important to look at the type of private establishments chosen. In view of the situation of Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, “It goes without saying that it is a choice between ourselves.” “It is obviously socio-academic separatism and it is a ghetto of the rich”, she says. For the former minister, this separatism organized by the bourgeoisie poses a problem. “This is what creates the problems we are experiencing, the lack of social and educational diversity.”she adds.

According to an investigation by Libération, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra would not have changed her child’s establishment because of the number of hours not replaced, but because she wanted her child to move to a higher class and that this been refused. “What the new Minister of National Education did was that she refused a decision that was taken by teachers“, concludes Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.