The movement promises to be very followed. All representative unions called for a strike in national education on Thursday, denouncing “An indescribable mess” in schools due to the Covid-19 protocol put in place and “A strong feeling of abandonment and anger among the staff”.
In response to teachers, the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, called Tuesday January 11 to “The unity of the Nation around its school”, estimating that“We do not go on strike against a virus”.
“I know that there is a lot of fatigue, a lot of nervousness, therefore, me, I appeal at the same time to the coolness, to the unity of the Nation around his school, not to confuse the subjects , we are in the presidential campaign, some opponents are trying to make it a theme “, regretted the minister on BFMTV.
Jean-Michel Blanquer talks about the new sanitary protocol in schools: “This test policy, we … https://t.co/3DUBdYqwLi
“We do not strike against a virus”
For the latter, “It’s a shame to have a day that will further disrupt the system”, he said. “There are problems, I am the first to admit it, it is difficult, but it is difficult in all countries”.
“As I express the hope that this is our last wave, it would be a shame to be divided in this final stretch which is very hard, very complicated for all the players”, he added.
“It is not a strike that solves the problems, we do not strike against a virus”, he said.
Further relaxation of the protocol
Monday evening, the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, announced a relaxation of the health protocol in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic in schools and the risk of mayhem. Three simple self-tests for contact cases at school, without obligation of antigen test or PCR, are now required.
Jean-Michel Blanquer sees in this « adaptation » of the protocol a way of “To simplify the life of families, but also the life of teachers and school directors, mainly in primary school”.
The idea is “To make life easier for everyone: families, to avoid queues at the pharmacy, and primary school administrators, who are very concerned (…), while maintaining a requirement on the subject of tests. It is therefore a responsibility of everyone, for the lowest possible constraints ”, he estimated.
The minister reported 10,000 classes closed Monday evening, or 2% of primary classes, and 50,000 cumulative positive cases, out of 12 million students.