The little Dionysians would undoubtedly have preferred a snow class. For months, several primary and nursery schools in the city of Saint-Denis have been experiencing heating problems. A particularly worrying situation with the temperatures that have been plaguing Île-de-France for several weeks.
“It was when I saw my daughter coming home with tomato sauce on her coat that I discovered what was happening,” explains Myriam*, whose four children attend school in the Franc-Moisin school group. “I told her that we had to take it off to eat, she then replied that it was much too cold in the refectory and that all the children ate covered like her. »
“Hot and cold” all day long
Information obtained from the establishment and other parents, it turns out that in several rooms on the three floors of the establishment, the heaters have been out of service for several months. A situation which persists despite alerts made to the municipality, in charge of primary schools.
“It’s very difficult for a child to eat wrapped up in their coat, the staff confirm to us that they have no freedom in their movements,” continues Myriam. In addition, they go directly from heated rooms to cold ones, and so on throughout the day. No wonder they all get sick. We already had the flu, no need for more. »
In ski gear for a nap
Christelle* also launched several of these alerts after her son, educated in the Gisèle Halimi school group in the “9.3” sub-prefecture, fell ill on several occasions. “Since the start of the school year, part of the school has no longer been heated. The town hall has provided additional heaters, but they are very insufficient,” laments this mother, who says she has to equip her son for a nap as if he were going out into the cold. “The director advised us to put them in leggings, hats and warm clothes because the dormitory is no longer heated. They take a nap in the polar cold. » According to her, temperatures below 10°C were recorded on certain days in the rooms, supporting photos of the measurements.
In the Louise Michel – Bel Air school group, it was the parents who were forced to take matters into their own hands, to the point of bringing small auxiliary convectors themselves, as demonstrated by Emilie, who has a daughter in nursery school and a son in CM1: “There has been no heating in part of the school for two years. About half of the radiators no longer work. In buildings this old, this is not enough. »
Work to come, but not before the end of February
The reasons for this lack of heating in Saint-Denis schools? Difficult to know for parents, who have heard many versions: “Gas problems”, “water heater breakdowns”, “work too extensive or expensive”… “We contacted Leyla Temel, assistant in charge of children and school life on several occasions, by email (that 20 Minutes was able to consult) but also in person during a visit to the central kitchen, explains Myriam*, but it is always the same answer. You have to wait, the work will arrive at the end of February. Why wait so long? It is now that the children are suffering from the cold. »
In the viewfinder of parents, the town hall of Saint-Denis is also in that of the FCPE (Federation of Parents’ Councils) of the department, which denounces the convectors provided “not adapted to this overload” and which raise fears, according to the “fire risks” union.
The school park “neglected for decades” according to the municipality
Contacted by 20 Minutesthe Saint-Denis town hall defends itself and claims to be well aware of the problem. “When we took over responsibilities in 2020, we launched a diagnosis of the state of the municipal heritage, and in particular the heating issues in the buildings,” explains a member of the cabinet of Mathieu Hanotin, the mayor. According to him, an audit was carried out and a table monitoring the various difficulties of the hundred or so school groups in the city was put in place.
According to the mayor’s office, the municipality inherited a dilapidated school park. “The policy of the old municipality was to invest in new things. Also, the existing stock has been neglected for decades and requires large investments which are accumulating, in addition to the dysfunctions of the new stock,” we explain. And to specify that the budget allocated to school buildings increased from 1.5 million euros in 2020 to 5 million in 2024 then in 2025.
Cases are increasing in France
“Every Friday, we take stock of the malfunctions and necessary work. Some are quick to fix but others require heavier work, sometimes with pipes to be replaced for example. This requires that the school be empty and therefore we can only act during school holidays. Hence the end of February deadline cited for certain establishments. »
“We will catch up gradually, but we cannot resolve fifty years of underinvestment in four years of mandate. It may take ten years, or two terms, to do it. » Data that the municipality will be able to explain again to parents, which it must receive this Wednesday.
The city of Saint-Denis is unfortunately part of an ever-growing list of schools exposed to the cold. In Amiens, for example, high school students and their teachers demonstrated this Tuesday morning in front of their establishment to complain about heating problems.
* First names have been changed