After Lille, Marseille will provide its 76,000 pupils with back-to-school kits to reduce family bills.

Reduce family fees during inflation, move towards equal treatment in the city’s 470 schools, allow institutions to use their resources for other things: this is the triple objective that Marseille’s city hall has been aiming to allocate since 1999. 2023 school year, a set of school supplies for 76,000 students in the city’s public kindergartens and elementary schools. The idea is not new. Among major French cities, Lille is experimenting with a similar system from 2021.

The mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan (far left), chose the Font-Vert school, in the very popular city 14.^e Rounding, announcing measurements and representing ranges: a well-stocked box (ruler, three tubes of glue, two erasers, pencil sharpener, five pens, etc.), boxes of markers and colored pencils, four highlighters, notebook. For elementary school children. In addition, a pack of tissues, a blouse and a notebook for those in kindergarten.

The list was drawn up with a panel of experts, including school principals, academia and trade union representatives. Marseille invests 1.2 million euros in these sets. Thus, the amount allocated for material purchases of schools reaches 4.9 million. The ratio per pupil reaches 57 euros in the REP+ area (reinforced priority educational network), against 42 euros previously.

“in the right direction”

“I would have liked a few more pens, but this is good. It restores parity in an area where some listings can go up to €120 while others remain at €30., believes Christophe Olivier, principal of the Font-Vert school and UNSA delegate in the district. Being at the meeting of three experts, he ensured this “The list does not affect teachers’ pedagogical freedom to order what they need”. “This event is a step in the right direction.Confirms SNUipp Department Secretary Virginie Akliwat. Along with inflation, the balance to be paid by parents has increased dramatically. They shouldn’t have left much there. »

Aix-Marseille Academy, a stakeholder, has promised to send a note to teaching teams to carry “special attention” Contents of the kit before starting the annual order. On this matter, Arnaud Duple, administrator of the FCPE Bouches-du-Rhône, requests to see. “Will the set disappear with additional lists? I doubtHe slips and also regrets that parents’ associations were not invited to expert meetings.