2024 Olympics: controversy surrounding a two-euro commemorative coin promised to French schoolchildren
Four million students, enrolled in preparatory classes (CP) to middle classes (CM), will receive by the end of spring a two-euro collector's coin as part of the Paris Olympic Games, an operation by the Ministry of Education, the cost of which, estimated at nearly sixteen million euros, has caused a lot of reaction.
Logo of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in front of the Eiffel Tower (illustrative image).
AFP/Archives
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From this week in February 2024, French schoolchildren will receive an educational booklet on the
Olympic Games
accompanied by a two-euro commemorative coin.
Distribution has started in the Loir-et-Cher department (central-west France).
An initiative which was made without prior information from the Ministry of National Education.
An official information email was finally sent by the ministry on Tuesday February 20 in the afternoon.
Ten billion to save
While the government wants to make drastic savings and there are ten billion to save, teachers and unions are criticizing this costly measure.
Barely launched, the subject is already controversial.
The first packages arrived in around a hundred schools in France.
When they opened them, the teachers concerned were surprised to discover the booklets, intended for their students, accompanied by a commemorative two-euro Olympic Games coin, minted by the Paris Mint.
Guislaine David, general secretary of the National Unitary Union of Teachers, School Teachers and PEGC, denounces a very costly communication operation: “
We can imagine that it is not a small budget, because if we consider that from CP to CM2 , there are four million students, we can quickly multiply with the two euro coin.
Then there is the printing of the booklet, deliveries which are made
directly
to the schools by an external service provider.
»
“
Communication operation
”
“
We can clearly see that there is a distortion between a communication operation and then the reality of our schools
,” continues the union leader.
And the reality in our schools at the moment is a very constrained budgetary context: no negotiations on salaries, class closures at the moment in our departments.
We have the impression that the communication operation will also cost the state budget and we have the right to know what funding this is planned for
.”
The approach concerning the allocation of two euros to each student raises even more questions as money is prohibited in French schools.
These booklets include a text signed by Emmanuel Macron and another by the current Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, who was Minister of Education at the time of printing.
Purpose of the operation?
“
Raise awareness among primary school students of the historic event that will be the
Olympic Games
,” the ministry explains.
(
With AFP
)
Read alsoParis 2024 Olympic Games: medals made of gold, silver, bronze and the Eiffel Tower
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