Affirming “the continuity of the State service”, the Minister of Education, in an unprecedented political context, took stock of the main axes of the start of the school year. Indulging in a great freedom of tone.
“You are never a candidate for a ministerial position. But if you ask me if I want to continue, the answer is yes. I am also capable of going mushroom picking in the fall“, replied a visibly relaxed Nicole Belloubet to journalists at the end of her press conference.
Unprecedented and lunar. The back-to-school press conference, a major educational event that sets the major political guidelines for the coming year, was held this Tuesday by a resigned Minister of Education. Like the entire Attal government that remained in power, nearly two months after the legislative elections that did not strengthen the presidential majority.
A few digs at Gabriel Attal
«The bells in the classrooms do not match those in the Palais Bourbon“, began the Minister of Education Nicole Belloubet, explaining in the preamble that she was “well aware” of “unprecedented context on the political level”. «But the role of a minister is to carry out the mission entrusted to him until the end, including when he is dealing with current affairs.”.
«Professional conscience”, “personal ethics”, “continuity of state service”“. If Nicole Belloubet has taken on the role of a zealous civil servant, she has also played her own part and allowed herself to be very free of tone, notably using irony towards Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, her predecessor on Rue de Grenelle. A woman of the left, Nicole Belloubet has largely distanced herself from the “clash of knowledge” that Gabriel Attal had launched with such a bang.
The “need” groups – initially called “level” by Gabriel Attal – will be set up “with pragmatism and flexibility“, the minister repeated, leaving “institutions and teachers» free rein. The brevet, which, in 2025, was to become the necessary passport to move up to the second year and enter high school? The decree is “frozen“, she explained. The new French and maths programs for primary school, which were supposed to come into effect this fall, but were ultimately postponed by a year? “A chanceshe said. Teachers will have a whole year to get to grips with them.”
Private education called to order
In this one-hour speech, the minister also spoke at length about the need for “social and educational diversity» and the fight against «assignments» social and geographical. A mission that it would have “loved to lead”she explained, before a small aside to the address of private education under contract, which she reminded – education code in support – of its obligations in this matter. The results produced by the protocol signed under Pap Ndiaye with Catholic education, will be looked at “from September 2024” she said.
The upcoming budget? Nicole Belloubet devoted “a few words, hesitant.” Last week, the Prime Minister notified the first ceilings for credits and jobs, which will constitute a technical basis for the future government.Ceilings that would force us to be particularly strict budgetarily. For my part, I consider that the National Education budget should be at least protected,” said the resigning minister.
« You know, I listen to France Inter. Sorry for the other radios.”
Nicole Belloubet, Minister of Education.
Not a word, however, about the uniform experiment launched by Gabriel Attal and announced in around a hundred establishments for this return to school.90 establishments have launched” she answered when asked by journalists. The same goes for the empathy courses that her predecessor had sold widely. “We have done a lot” she simply replied, before slipping in that during the only empathy class she had attended, she had seen “Brigitte Macron hugs Gabriel Attal».
Nicole Belloubet in freewheel?What I say here is my own. I am a resigning minister.“, repeated the minister who, during this offbeat speech, mentioned several times France Inter : «You know I listen to France Inter. Sorry for the other radios.”
