More schools close in France as government acts to protect parents' wages
A total of 32 schools and 524 individual classes have closed in France because of Covid-19 outbreaks, the French government confirmed on Thursday morning. Ministers introduced a new measure to help those parents whose kids were sent home.
Just 10 days into the new semester, dozens of schools and hundreds of classes have had to close down across France, due to Covid-19 cases being detected meaning those pupils must stay home until the situation is under control.
The total number of establishments affected - 32 schools and 524 classes - reflected an increase in just a few days after the education ministry confirmed 28 schools and 262 classes were closed on Monday.
"It is, of course, an increase compared to the previous days but it is still limited compared to the overall number of classes in France," government spokesperson Gabriel Attal told BFMTV
Coronavirus: @GabrielAttal annonce que "32 établissements et 524 classes sont fermés" en France pic.twitter.com/gjq4LfVWw8
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) September 10, 2020
The total of pupils affected corresponded to 0.05 percent of all of France's education establishments, Attal said.
'Chomage partiel'
The government on Wednesday evening announced that parents affected by the closures would be granted access to chomage partiel, the economic aid scheme bolstered by the government at the beginning of the lockdown in March to help businesses foot their employees' salaries to prevent mass layoffs.
Parents who could not work from home would get access to the scheme with retroactive effect starting September 1st, the government said.
Those concerned will "benefit from income reimbursement from the first day of their stoppage of work, and at the latest until the end of the period of isolation," the health ministry said in a statement.
Only one parent per household will be eligible for the help scheme, and only if they can document that their child's school or nursery closed down due to Covid-19, or that their child has been identified as a contact-case.
Comments
See Also
Just 10 days into the new semester, dozens of schools and hundreds of classes have had to close down across France, due to Covid-19 cases being detected meaning those pupils must stay home until the situation is under control.
The total number of establishments affected - 32 schools and 524 classes - reflected an increase in just a few days after the education ministry confirmed 28 schools and 262 classes were closed on Monday.
"It is, of course, an increase compared to the previous days but it is still limited compared to the overall number of classes in France," government spokesperson Gabriel Attal told BFMTV
Coronavirus: @GabrielAttal annonce que "32 établissements et 524 classes sont fermés" en France pic.twitter.com/gjq4LfVWw8
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) September 10, 2020
The total of pupils affected corresponded to 0.05 percent of all of France's education establishments, Attal said.
'Chomage partiel'
The government on Wednesday evening announced that parents affected by the closures would be granted access to chomage partiel, the economic aid scheme bolstered by the government at the beginning of the lockdown in March to help businesses foot their employees' salaries to prevent mass layoffs.
Parents who could not work from home would get access to the scheme with retroactive effect starting September 1st, the government said.
Those concerned will "benefit from income reimbursement from the first day of their stoppage of work, and at the latest until the end of the period of isolation," the health ministry said in a statement.
Only one parent per household will be eligible for the help scheme, and only if they can document that their child's school or nursery closed down due to Covid-19, or that their child has been identified as a contact-case.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.