On September 4th, the first day of the school year, Renaud Muselier, president of the PACA Region, was in Nice for the inauguration of the renovated dining hall of Lycée Les Eucalyptus.
The start of the school year has arrived for the 195,000 high school students in the region, a return to school that often includes the cafeteria. In Nice-West, Lycée Les Eucalyptus offers its 1,600 students a renovated and restructured dining space. The campus has benefited from nearly 3.8 million euros in work funded by the PACA region.
The operation of restructuring the dining area throughout the entire building was officially inaugurated on September 4th by Renaud Muselier, just before the lunch break. “I am happy to see that innovation has extended to the choice of a new way of serving meals. The famous self-scramble, this scattered self-service, finally breaks the ultra-classic line we are so accustomed to,” shared Renaud Muselier, president of the PACA region.
A year and a half of work concludes, providing the young people with a more pleasant environment where they can enjoy a meal for 3.80 euros. The centerpiece of this new dining area is a large shaded patio, planted with trees, and equipped with tables and chairs.
Inaugurated in 1964, this establishment, particularly known for its technological education, had already benefited from 50 million euros in investments. The newly renovated and expanded school was delivered in 2016. By the end of his term, Renaud Muselier estimates that another billion euros will be invested in the refurbishment of high schools.
“Making the Vocational Pathway a Choice for the Future”
This visit to the school on this school start morning also marks the region’s intent to “highlight our vocational high schools”. In the region, one-third of high school students attend these institutions. There are numerous possibilities for vocational training in regional schools. There are 221 diplomas, including 83 CAP (Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle) and 138 professional Baccalaureate degrees.
The reform of the vocational pathway, presented last May by Emmanuel Macron, is being implemented starting this school year. Its main aim is to make “the vocational pathway a choice for the future” rather than an imposed direction. To achieve this, the government plans to allocate a billion euros each year to vocational high schools.
The major novelty: compensating high school students for their internship periods, whether they are in their sophomore, junior, or senior year, with an allowance. Compensation ranging from 50 to 100 euros per week is planned and should apply immediately.
“Freedom Begins with Secularism”
The protection of secularism was a recurring theme in the back-to-school speeches on September 4th at “Les Eucas.” Renaud Muselier aligns with the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal, who has banned the wearing of the abaya in schools. He highlights a “strict and firm decision” establishing a clear directive where the rules were “blurred and vague”, leaving the responsibility to the head of the establishment to determine the ostentatious nature of students’ attire.
“The abaya is not traditional attire; it is traditional in Saudi Arabia; that’s where it comes from. Saudi Islam is not exactly French Islam, and so freedom begins with secularism,” he elaborates.
While Eric Ciotti is in favor of introducing school uniforms in middle schools and Charles-Anges Ginésy announces that the departmental council is volunteering to experiment with the implementation of a unique school outfit in all middle schools in the Alpes-Maritimes, Renaud Muselier is not quite of the same opinion. The president of the region talks more about establishing “appropriate attire” but finds it difficult to see uniforms like those commonly worn in Anglo-Saxon countries being adopted in French schools. His vision of appropriate attire would resemble pants, “a skirt up to the knee”, no visible brand logos, or sportswear.
Improving the Purchasing Power of Young People and Their Families
As Renaud Muselier just announced an energy check of 250 euros for 100,000 families, accessible “very easily” from September 15th, the regional president also discusses the offers available for young people.
“For the start of the school year, a 500 € savings, it’s always interesting!” is the slogan of the PACA region for young people this year. Through several initiatives implemented by Renaud Muselier and his team, assistance amounting to a total of 500 euros can be granted to young people up to the age of 26.
The “Pass Santé” is a scheme that can allow up to 365 euros in savings through reimbursement for contraceptives, medical consultations, or psychological consultations, for young people aged 15 to 26. Scholarship holders can receive an additional 100 euros if they subscribe to health insurance, known as the “Pass Mutuelle.” And the new addition this school year: “e-coupon-vaccination” dedicated to HPV vaccination for both girls and boys.
On the transportation side, Renaud Muselier is proud of the “Pass Zou!”. At 90 euros per year, less than 8 euros per month, it allows young people up to 25 years old to travel throughout the region by bus or train. “Of course, we go to school with the Zou! pass, of course, we can go see a match in Marseille, but of course, we can also use this pass to go skiing in the Alpes-Maritimes. We thus have a coherent territorial development service for young people, considering environmental respect, allowing us to look to the future with confidence,” he concludes.
