The Reunion Rectorate confirms the arrival of at least 250 new students for the start of the school year on Tuesday, January 21, mainly from Mayotte. This situation is explained by the unavailability of several Mahorais establishments damaged by Cyclone Chido. Local authorities, in turn, acknowledge that it is still difficult to precisely quantify the number of families affected.
According to Céline Sitouze, 8th vice-president of the Réunion region, these children “will be placed in already overcrowded classes.” Increasingly questions are being asked about teachers' ability to welcome these newcomers without compromising the quality of learning for all students. Furthermore, the housing of these families raises concerns in a context where the demand for social housing in Réunion remains high.
In this context, the rectorate asked the municipalities to increase their numbers in order to anticipate possible additional needs: school materials, catering, transport or even support for children in difficulties. Many observers believe that a specific shelter system, funded by the state, could prove necessary to avoid major disruptions in institutions.
Despite the challenge this arrival brings, the academy insists on the necessary solidarity with displaced families. The Rector of La Réunion, Rostane Mehdi, recalls that “every child must have the same access to education, regardless of their origin or situation”. Authorities hope to adjust their response as registrations take place, while the return to school in Mayotte has not yet taken place.
-For many of these Mahorese students, the arrival in Réunion after such a climatic event represents a major upheaval: change of location, possible language difficulties and the need to quickly integrate into a new environment. The coming weeks promise to be crucial for measuring the scale of the task and the solidarity being organised, with a persistent question in the background: how can we effectively guarantee educational continuity for all in an already tense context?
