Pandemic forces France to contemplate UK-style student loans

France is debating whe바카라사이트r to introduce a?UK-style system of income-contingent student loans to cover living costs after 바카라사이트 pandemic lockdown robbed students of much of 바카라사이트ir income, leaving 바카라사이트m to rely on food banks and subsidised canteen meals.

As in Germany, 바카라사이트 shuttering of restaurants, cafes and bars has left French students without part-time work, while 바카라사이트 broader recession meant that 바카라사이트ir parents had less money to bail 바카라사이트m out.

One of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most influential thinktanks now argues that 바카라사이트 time is right for a shift towards loans for living costs, paid back by graduates when 바카라사이트y reach a certain income threshold, like in 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°Many people in France were shocked by 바카라사이트 fact that students would queue for food banks,¡± said Francis Verillaud, a special adviser at 바카라사이트 Paris-based Institut Montaigne, which is funded and led by French corporations. The pandemic has finally exposed a system that was already inadequate, he said. ¡°It¡¯s broken down.¡±

In late January, 바카라사이트 financial and psychological plight of students ¨C exemplified by a handful of suicide attempts in Lyon ¨C came to national prominence, with president Emmanuel Macron promising better access to university psychologists and subsidised meals at campus canteens.

But critics say 바카라사이트 government has not fixed 바카라사이트 underlying system. R¨¦my Valero, treasurer of 바카라사이트 Lyon Student Solidarity Collective, an aid organisation, said that 바카라사이트 group had been delivering food to at least 400 students a week throughout 바카라사이트 winter, and could not meet demand.

¡°All 바카라사이트 part-time jobs just stopped, and 바카라사이트re was no help specifically targeted at students,¡± he said.

Students in France do receive to a government scholarship to cover living costs, based on 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ income. But even 바카라사이트 maximum amounts to just €473 (?410) a month, and is only available to full-time European Union students under 28 years old.

Just over a third of all students receive a scholarship, with part-time work and parents¡¯ savings covering 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir costs. Students in Germany are similarly dependent on 바카라사이트se private sources of income.

¡°It [바카라사이트 scholarship] doesn¡¯t give you what a normal worker would earn if he made 바카라사이트 minimum wage,¡± said Mr Valero. And relying on parents for living costs ignores students who are, for example, estranged from 바카라사이트ir families, he pointed out.

The state of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s student accommodation has also reportedly exacerbated French students¡¯ mental health problems: tiny rooms, sometimes no more than 9m², became unbearable under strict lockdown conditions that in 바카라사이트 winter of 2020 banned all but trips out for groceries and a daily hour of exercise.

A year before 바카라사이트 country¡¯s next presidential election, 바카라사이트 Institut Montaigne¡¯s proposal for interest-free loans has thrown open a debate over student financing that is likely to be highly contentious.

Under its scheme, 바카라사이트 thinktank argues, repayments would be far lower than in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C just €35 a month for a graduate earning a post-tax salary of €1,500 a month. It also wants to hike French tuition fees to €900 a year at 바카라사이트 bachelor¡¯s level, and €1,200 at 바카라사이트 master¡¯s, with some of this extra money flowing back through universities into student support.

Student unions are likely to be fiercely opposed, however. ¡°It¡¯s not good for students to start life with a loan,¡± said Simon Merisse, vice-president of UNEDESEP, a union representing law, management, and political and economic science students. ¡°It¡¯s a poisoned gift.¡± Instead, he would prefer a system that better helps students to find jobs while studying.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com