The reduction of the health protocol in schools announced Thursday, January 6 “remains once again difficult to apply in the field”, regrets the co-president of the Federation of parents’ councils (FCPE) Carla Dugault Friday January 7 on franceinfo, for whom this “not going to change much” but just save “a little time” to parents. Now, if, after a first case of Covid-19 in a classroom, another case occurs, parents will not have to start their child’s screening cycle again. The student’s mother also denounces the “terrible lack of anticipation” the Ministry of National Education, “just untenable”.
franceinfo: Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer received you by videoconference on Thursday. Did he tell you about this reduction in the health protocol in schools at that time?
Not at all, however, this meeting was held until late, since it was stopped at 8 p.m. We learned about it in the evening, rather late in fact. So, again, it shows this terrible lack of anticipation between announcements and their implementation in the field. It is just untenable, both for parents and for all players in the educational community. Moreover, the new protocol is once again difficult to apply in the field. It just leaves a little more time to do all the tests and sworn statements. Just a little more time and that’s it, so it’s not going to change much. Parents are strongly urged to ensure that things go as well as possible, but there still need to be self-tests available in pharmacies. Parents must still be able to do this, since parents also work. It is still very difficult.
“We are asking that the tests be carried out in establishments by health professionals, it would be much simpler.”
Carla Dugault, co-president of the FCPEto franceinfo
Except that today, we know that there is a terrible lack of investment in public schools to deal with this exceptional situation.
What would be the solution to this lack of tests and self-tests in pharmacies?
Jean-Michel Blanquer announced to us yesterday that 10 million tests would be delivered at the end of this week to pharmacies, so very well, we have noted the information. Now, we must see if these tests will be there since, today, many parents are confronted precisely with the shortage of tests in pharmacies.
Do you still believe, at the FCPE, that schools should remain open?
The FCPE has always asked that the school remain open, but with the necessary means to keep it open. Today, this is not the case. So the parents no longer believe in this open school where our children could continue, in the most normal conditions possible, to learn. This is not the case. Children come together at home because they are positive. The question of pedagogical continuity arises.
“We are asking for a shock of investments for the school to make things go well.”
Carla Dugault, co-president of the FCPE parents’ federationto franceinfo
We can see that we also have, in addition, a problem of replacing teachers who are sick. We should also stop stressing young people and asking the impossible of teachers. They are very much in demand and they cannot, on the issue of pedagogical continuity, either do face-to-face courses or do distance learning courses.