Christophe Kerrero is rector of the Paris academy where 158,000 schoolchildren in 673 public schools were called to return to school this Monday.
Can we say that the return to school has taken place everywhere?
It is a bit early to have consolidated figures. As for the teachers, we have a little more absences than last year, on the same date, I would say 3 to 4 points more. I cannot say that today we have a teacher in each class, but the absences are not more alarming than before the Christmas holidays – they are in the order of 10%.
Do you have the right back-up pool?
In Paris, we have 600 substitute teachers for all types of replacements, short or long term. To anticipate the Omicron wave, we have already recruited 80 additional contract workers, and the effort will be continued, our objective being to reach 100 to 120 recruitments.
Who are these new recruits?
Most of them are students who embark on this profession, with at least a bachelor’s degree. But there are also parents of students, at master’s level. Finally, the profiles are quite varied.
Academies have launched an appeal to retired teachers. Is this also the case in Paris?
We haven’t recruited any reinforcements yet. But we also intend to rely on them. All pools are possible.
Epidemiologists evoke a “peak” in the wave of Covid in the coming weeks. Are you worried that the number of absences will skyrocket?
We know the new variant is very contagious, but we are relying on health protocol to keep schools as open as possible.
We talk a lot regarding the start of the primary school year. It seems just as complicated in middle and high schools …
The issues are different and the students are all welcomed anyway. Work is also underway to recruit secondary school teachers and ensure pedagogical continuity.
