Education. Heatwave: Nearly 1,350 schools closed this Tuesday, energy renovation work requested

A forced break before the holidays which begin Saturday . Nearly 1,350 schools out of 45,000 are subject to total or partial closure this Tuesday due to the high temperatures - 16 departments are placed on red heatwave alert and 68 remain on orange alert. In the event of closure, "it is imperative to organize alternative reception solutions," recommended the Minister of National Education Élisabeth Borne on Sunday, leaving it up to local authorities to find them.

Emergency measures to manage the situation "on a case-by-case basis in each territory," according to Élisabeth Borne. She also reissued instructions to the rectors to ensure the safety of students and staff: stay in shaded rooms, close shutters, keep windows closed, etc. Regarding students taking exams this week, the minister recommended "using, as far as possible, shaded rooms," ensuring that "candidates have access to drinking water and/or allow them to leave the room to quench their thirst," and for oral exams, "allowing the time of the exam to be adjusted for a student in a vulnerable situation."

An insufficient response for Catherine Nave-Bekhti, general secretary of the CFDT education union: "For years, we have been calling for a multi-year program for energy renovation work in establishments." Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of the SNES-FSU, echoed the same sentiment: "Last year, only half of the establishments that responded to our survey said they were equipped with shutters or blinds. We therefore need to improve insulation: it is no longer acceptable for it to be very cold in winter and very hot in summer, and for the ministry's main recommendation to be to find cool rooms. We finally need a financing plan!"

A parliamentary report on adapting schools to climate change in December 2023 already highlighted the "difficulties of holding classes in high temperatures, with harmful effects on students' concentration and even their health." It estimated the budget needed to renovate schools at at least €40 billion. When questioned by our newspaper, the Ministry of Education explained that there is no national assessment of the number of schools that would need thermal insulation work, because school buildings are the responsibility of municipalities, middle schools are the responsibility of departments, and high schools are the responsibility of regions.

In September 2023, Emmanuel Macron had wanted to accelerate the process by launching a school renovation plan, setting the target of 2,000 schools renovated by the end of 2024 and 40,000 within 10 years, or 90% of the total. This was achieved through several funding mechanisms (the Green Fund, the heat fund, the EduRénov program, etc.). But the parliamentary report highlighted the "lack of clarity and accessibility of the various financial aid programs offered by the State and its operators" and the "significant financial constraints [of local authorities] that can limit school building renovation actions." Furthermore, the Green Fund has suffered budget cuts, which has further complicated the situation.

While waiting for these thermal renovations to take effect, the unions are calling for emergency measures. "There has been no dialogue with the unions to anticipate heatwaves. We are asking for a protocol for responding to weather alerts so that, for example, we can adjust schedules in the event of extreme heat and provide access to cooled rooms," says Catherine Nave-Bekhti. "For the coming days, we need to provide flexibility in the organization: for example, offer the option for brevet examiners to come for two half-days in the morning rather than a full day. As the ministry has just agreed to," says Sophie Vénétitay.