The university track in sciences and techniques of physical and sports activities is massively affected by the lottery system. This year, 10,000 candidates are said to have been turned away.
To demand better accommodations for students in sciences and techniques of sports activities (Staps), yesterday, around 6,000 people demonstrated or gathered across France, according to the National Association of Staps Students (Anestaps)*, affiliated with FAGE (Federation of General Student Associations), which organized this day of action.
Anestaps is calling for more resources after nearly all universities were forced to conduct lotteries to decide among candidates.
By excluding those high school seniors who did not pass their final exams and those who might have changed their minds, there are ultimately 10,000 serious candidates who were turned away due to lack of space in Staps, according to the association.
While a budget increase of 700 million euros has been announced for higher education in the 2018 budget bill, student representatives would like the 10,000 rejected candidates to be able to enroll next year.
For access to sports professions, the Staps track, in particular, competes with the professional certificate in youth, popular education, and sports, a bac-level diploma prepared through work-study programs.
The actions taken at the UFR Staps in Nice were diverse. There were interventions in lecture halls to raise student awareness about the situation in France and make them realize how fortunate they are compared to other cities where students do not have the chance to sit in a lecture hall or even access the training of their choice. The students also creatively illustrated university access through the lottery or selection for master’s programs.
The issue must be addressed by ministerial authorities, and responses must be given to student organizations.
Raphael Fernandes (Initiative Staps Nice) explains: ‘Moreover, other problems related to the clarity of training in sports-related fields and the lack of budget in our UFRs do not allow for decent study conditions in the UFR Staps, even forcing students to attend classes on staircases in some places’.
