“Digital break” at college: who will foot the €130 million bill for phone storage lockers ?

In some small middle schools like Saint-Jean-du-Gard, cell phones are stored in the school office, in plastic boxes, by class. midi libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

The experiment proposed by the resigning Minister of Education Nicole Belloubet to 200 middle schools in France aims to strengthen the 2018 ban law but places schools in an equation with several unknowns. Is the “digital pause” applicable? ? The Departments are doubtful.

For the vice-president delegated to education in the Department of Hérault and mayor of Jacou, “this measure taken in haste is not based on any serious analysis”.

Lockers already exist

Renaud Calvat regrets that no consultation was held prior to this decision, “colleges are autonomous, the department is in charge of school buildings, it will be up to the manager of the establishment to provide an additional budget for the installation of storage lockers. But what financial resources are allocated ? Who will pay the bill ? Will the colleges be able to do it ? And then most colleges already have lockers".

Between 10,000 and 18,000 euros for a college of 450 students

According to a note sent by the Ministry of Education to the Assembly of Departments of France, “for an average college of 450 students, the cost of lockers would be in the range of 10,000 to 18,000 euros including tax depending on the model chosen and in the basic configuration (key lock or padlock door hasp)”.

To comply with the 2018 law

More secure, the installation of a mechanical lock with increased code represents a minimum additional cost of 9,000 euros including tax. “It would therefore be up to the local authorities, and therefore the departments, to assume this cost which could amount to 125,640,000 euros; for the 6,980 colleges in France”, s’s indignant the President of the departments of France, François Sauvadet.

The assembly is thus opposed to a hasty generalization of the "digital pause" without prior consultation, without feedback or adequate funding by the State. "Especially since Law No. 2018-698 of August 3, 2018 has “established the principle of the ban”, maintains Renaud Calvat, for whom the “debate deserves more than this simple decision”.