Where are we with the Marseille School Plan?
Launched in October 2021, the major renovation plan for Marseille schools aims to rehabilitate 470 schools in Marseille, i.e. the entire Marseille school park. Among these establishments, 174 will be entirely renovated or created, which represents 600,000 m².
Funding for the plan amounts to 1.2 billion euros, with the State providing exceptional support of 400 million euros, to which are added 650 million euros in loan guarantees. Since its adoption on December 17, 2021 by the municipal council, ten projects have been launched, including three new schools delivered this year, the three in the 9e borough of the city.
Currently, around fifteen studies have been received for future work, confirmed Benoît Payan. The municipality has planned to rehabilitate a first batch of 80 school groups during the term of office, by 2026. The other 296 schools will require minor upgrading work. In addition to State subsidies, the State will guarantee 650 million euros in loans out of the 800 that the City will seek from other partners.
The symbol of the Marceau islet
The launch of work on the Marceau block school is symbolic of the scope of the plan. “It’s about giving back the dignity that the children of these neighborhoods lacked,” said the mayor of Marseille.
This €15 million project, to be delivered in 2024, will consist of twenty kindergarten and primary classes, a media library, a toy library, in the heart of a green and secure environment. “In one year, we managed to do everything that others failed to do in 5 or even 10 years,” the mayor succeeded.
The Public Society of Marseille Schools on track
To carry out this plan, the city and the State have laid the foundations of a Public Society of Marseille Schools (Spem). A structure created in 6 months and whose director, Vincent Bourjaillat, has just taken up his post.
“This plan shows that with will, things can change,” said the mayor. For his part, Laurent Carrié, prefect for equal opportunities, was delighted with the fact that, faced with the rising costs of construction and materials, the town hall had decided, whenever possible, to entrust the project management to local actors.
“This is an inclusive plan based on the observation of the social difficulties encountered in these neighborhoods,” he says. It is in this school park that 59 establishments will test the concept of innovative school wanted by Emmanuelle Macron, President of the Republic.