According to the prefecture, the absenteeism rate has reached 20 to 30% since the start of the carnival season. The authorities call for parental vigilance and responsibility.
Each year, the carnival season in Guadeloupe is accompanied by a notable increase in school absenteeism. Since the start of the festivities and parades, the rates observed have fluctuated between 20 to 30% absenteeism rate in the department's schools. These figures were revealed following a meeting between the prefecture and the rectorate last week.
If these figures are striking, they are not surprising, as the link between carnival and school break is a recurring problem.
Hence this call for caution and vigilance for all, issued by the prefecture.
Nighttime rehearsals, parades lasting several kilometers and participation in carnival groups create general fatigue, directly impacting class attendance.
For Franck Dorge, chief of staff of the Prefect of Guadeloupe, parents need to get more involved, especially since many minors take part in the parades.
It is not the responsibility of the prefecture to say: such a child must not be in the street at 10 p.m., 11 p.m., midnight, outside. It's the parents' responsibility and I think this message needs to get across.
Franck Dorge, chief of staff of the Prefect of Guadeloupe Xavier Lefort
For the prefect's close collaborator, the safety and well-being of minors are above all the duty of families.
-However, the prefecture has started a dialogue with the various carnival federations and plans to adapt certain events to respond to this situation. For example, youth parades could be brought forward to the early afternoon in order to limit their exposure to nighttime risks.
“When we know that there are very young people, they can parade around 2 or 3 p.m. instead of at the end of the day.” We also need to find arrangements based on the composition of the carnival groups. But then there is the responsibility of the parents. We must not do it for our parents. They are responsible for their children. They must take this into account during the carnival, which must remain a festive event.
Concerning absenteeism, meeting with all school heads. Here again, I think it is the parents' full responsibility. I think that National Education is doing its job and
Working with school leaders and teachers, it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that children arrive on time for their learning and for their future. They must be built and safely.
School heads and teachers are also involved in containing this phenomenon, as Franck Dorge recalls.
National education is doing its job and is hard at work with school heads and teachers. It is the parents' responsibility to ensure that children arrive on time for their learning and for their future. They must be built and safely.
In addition to the impact on schooling, the prefecture warns of the dangers of late exits, particularly due to risky behavior, such as alcohol consumption. “The later we stay in the evening, the more risks we have also because we have people who may be intoxicated.“, warns the chief of staff.
