French minister urges focus on mental health of pupils after knife attack / Photo: Alex MARTIN - AFP
-
S.African activists push back on data centre rush
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio jumps 21% in market debut after record India IPO
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio to debut after record India IPO
-
Sri Lanka's Tamil farmers fight to reclaim land after civil war
-
UK set for cautious budget as borrowing costs climb
-
'They don't care about us': Trump food aid cuts leave Americans struggling and angry
-
US Fed expected to hold rates steady ahead of key midterm elections
-
Palestinian activist Khalil returns to Columbia after US detention
-
AI chip giant SK hynix says quarterly operating profit soars 630%
-
Youths testify about 'despair' in unprecedented Canadian climate trial
-
Charles tackles thorny legacy of slavery on Caribbean trip
-
Storied Paris department store seeks bankruptcy protection
-
UN nuclear watchdog chief urges Iran to grant access
-
Boeing shares tumble after it releases cautious growth forecast
-
Boeing releases cautious growth plan as shares fall sharply
-
Boeing reports smaller loss as it aims for stable output growth
-
Tech firms gain on Anthropic IPO optimism; HSBC slumps in London
-
Dangote, Nigeria's oil tycoon rewriting Africa's story
-
Tech firms track Wall St rally on mixed day for stock markets
-
Kane says Ballon d'Or win 'feels like a dream' as tributes pour in
-
HSBC profit jumps on higher rates, lower costs
-
Mercedes-Benz cuts 2026 profit outlook on tough China market
-
Reparations calls follow Charles on tough Caribbean trip
-
Wall Street faces earnings and Fed tests after turbulent technology-led week
-
China brands drop Mbappe for 'offending national sentiments'
-
Delhi grants minimum monthly pay and DA to about 4,000 MCD health workers
-
Critical coal inventories affect nearly half of India’s domestic power plants
-
FCNR(B) deposit drive puts sharper margin pressure on private banks
-
Gold ETF flows turn negative after 13 weeks as bullion loses 4%
French minister urges focus on mental health of pupils after knife attack
France's education minister said on Friday every school must adopt plans by the end of the year to identify and help pupils suffering from psychological distress.
Elisabeth Borne made the announcement after a 14-year-old pupil stabbed to death a teaching assistant in eastern France on Tuesday, the latest in a spate of attacks by schoolchildren in recent years.
In the wake of the assault, authorities promised a raft of measures to tackle knife crime among children.
Borne told reporters on Friday she was working with the health ministry "to improve the detection of young people in difficulty or distress".
"If a young person is identified by the national education system and may have psychological, mental or even psychiatric problems, there must be some kind of safety net to ensure they receive care, particularly in psychological medical centres," she told reporters.
France's educational authorities can help detect such cases of distress, "care must be provided in collaboration with all partners", she said in the town of Saint-Quentin in northeastern France.
However, she stressed that nearly 50 percent of positions for school doctors were vacant.
She indicated that there were fewer shortages of psychologists, nurses and social workers, adding she wanted to increase staffing levels.
It is "something I will push for: more psychologists, social workers and nurses," she said.
Borne spoke after the government on Wednesday unveiled a plan to better identify and treat mental health issues.
After the school attack, many right and far-right figures called for a security crackdown but others said a response should be broader and also include a focus on children's mental and physical health.
President Emmanuel Macron has said he is supporting a ban on social media for children under 15.
In March, police started random searches for knives and other weapons concealed in bags at schools, and Borne reiterated the need to continue efforts to make schools safer.
"We will continue this policy of deterrence with a very clear message," she said. "Schools must remain a sanctuary, weapons have no place in schools."
O.Hansen--CPN
