French children went back to school today. Normally la rentrée is just a question of a new backpack (apparently absolutely vital) a plentiful supply of squared paper and lots of coloured pens. But this year for many primary school children there is a new timetable, which demands that they go to school on Wednesday morning - a 41/2 day week. Each other afternoon there will be 45 minutes at the end of the day for "activités périscolaires" - ie non academic pursuits. Naturally there has been general unrest about this reform (which reverts the situation to what it was before 2008).
Parents associations are opposed because they need to make different child care arrangements for one day; teachers' unions are opposed; many maires are opposed because they dont have the finance for these activities. Children don't seem too bothered. New Education Minister Najat Vallat Belkacem is adament that they go ahead today for the 20000 communes who did not introduce it last year.
On a footnote, it appears that the insurance companies are impressing on parents that it would be prudent to take out a policy to protect their children during these activities (it is mandatory for school trips, colonies de vacances etc).
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