Question 25241 — higher education

Summary

Ms. Muriel Ressiguier alerts the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation to the worrying situation of students. For several years, successive governments have undertaken reforms in the field of higher education and research. In 2007, there was the adoption of the law relating to the freedoms and responsibilities of universities (known as the LRU Law) aimed at developing competition between universities and to open the budgets of establishments to private financing. In 2008, the campus plan was implemented to renovate higher education infrastructure to the tune of 1.3 billion euros. (Out of 46 universities which submitted a subsidy application file, only 10 establishments were able to benefit from the system. The Court of Auditors also warned of the incompleteness of the Campus Plan). More recently, in 2018, a digital portal “Parcours sup” was installed at the entrance to universities which automated the orientation and assignment of students to higher education establishments and which created the selection. Beyond “technocratic” government projects, what policies have been implemented to date to improve the daily lives of students? The growing precariousness and the difficulty in projecting into the future leads more and more students to desperate acts. Thus the suicide attempt of Anas, 22 years old, from Lyon, who set himself on fire on November 8, 2019 in front of the C.R.O.U.S of Lyon and the 25-year-old Rwandan student found dead on November 27, 2019 in his student room in Clermont-Ferrand, whose investigation to determine the circumstances of the death is still underway, must greatly alert the situation of precarious living conditions of students. These acts are all the more emblematic because Anas had organized and premeditated his act, by publishing a strong message on social networks for the attention of leaders to alert people to the situation of the students. Symbolically, he carried out his gesture in front of the body in charge of university life, the C.R.O.U.S, which he had just requested for emergency aid which was refused to him, according to his girlfriend. The financial difficulties and unhappiness of students are increasing. In his message, Anas also suggests social unease and too uncertain confidence in the future. He wonders about the efforts he must make to “survive” on a daily basis and complete his studies, about his professional future, and about his rights to unemployment insurance, if he is unable to find a job after his studies. He was worried even his future right to a pension, even though his professional life has not started. However, having the serenity of being able to house yourself, feed yourself and clothe yourself are prerequisites for studying in peaceful and dignified conditions, in order to mobilize your time and energy to build a future. Unfortunately, the figures speak for themselves and are extremely worrying: 20.8% of students live below the poverty line (according to figures from INSEE in 2016). Out of 2.7 million students in France, 712,166 students were on scholarships in 2017 (according to ministry figures). The C.R.O.U.S has only 170,000 accommodations, creating a ratio of 1 accommodation for 4 scholarship students. According to figures from the Observatory of Student Life, 46% of students work during the school year, significantly reducing the probability of passing exams. 30% have foregone medical care for financial reasons. 86% of students are under stress, 20% of students show “signs of psychological distress”, 8% have already thought about suicide. In 2019, stock markets increased by 1.2% while inflation was 2.8%. Following these tragedies, the Minister is proposing to facilitate access to unused emergency aid in 2019 to the tune of 15 million euros via the in place of a telephone line. Also, the MP asks her how she explains that the C.R. O.U.S of Lyon, while there are 15 million euros undistributed, refused the emergency aid that Anas had requested just before his act of distress. The announcements made are very insufficient. The Minister has the possibility and the responsibility to remedy the precariousness and uncertainties that have arisen. She asks him what which it will implement concretely and urgently to give future citizens the opportunity to study in truly decent conditions so that they can successfully complete their studies and find future prospects.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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