Holidays are over for the 1.7 million of students. Gradual deconfinement requires, only a minority of them are allowed to resume face-to-face lessons this Monday, January 4, 2021. A ministerial circular gives priority to students the most vulnerable, enrolled in the first year. For the others, we will have to be patient.
Who is authorized to return to class as of January 4?
The most fragile students
who have received a summons. Are concerned: students newly arrived in higher education, students with disabilities, digital insecurity, dropout, foreign students, but also all those who call for attention due to emergency or special individual circumstances
. This leaves a margin of appreciation to university presidents and directors of higher education establishments. In Caen, the university has decided to postpone the start of the academic year to January 18.
How will the courses be organized?
Students authorized to return to the lecture halls and classrooms will be welcomed in small groups of ten ”. They will, if necessary, be accompanied by student tutors. T he higher education institutions, libraries and university restaurants must remain closed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
What about travel?
Travel is prohibited between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., in accordance with the curfew. A derogation is however granted ” to the library staff, engineers, technicians, administrative, health or social services, researchers, teacher-researchers, teachers and CROUS staff who continue their activities after 8 pm ”. Travel is also authorized after 8 p.m., in the event of an examination, the time to return home, and on condition of providing a certificate.
What about the other students?
It’s still a blur. Decisions will be made in the days and weeks to come depending on the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic. A resumption of tutorials could take place at the earliest during the week of January 20, ”indicates the Ministry of Higher Education.
Only first-year students would be concerned: license, DUT, preparatory class integrated into engineering training, or any other training. Until then, distance learning remains the rule, except for practical considerations (laboratory handling, for example), validated by the rectorate. And anyway, recalls the circular, the number of students accommodated is limited to 50% of the maximum capacity of the teaching rooms.
– .
