Precariousness: student-employees tell us their daily suffering

After the immolation by fireplace of a scholar in Lyon, college students testify to their monetary difficulties to proceed their research.

The picture upset them. On November eighth in Lyon, a scholar sprays himself with gasoline earlier than setting fireplace to his garments in entrance of the Crous constructing. In a letter posted on Fb, the younger man of simply 22, Anas Ok., defined aiming by his gesture, “the federal government”, who can be accountable for his unsustainable precarious state of affairs. “This 12 months, doing a 3rd L2, I didn’t have scholarships, and even once I had, 450 euros per 30 days, is it sufficient to dwell?”, he nonetheless questions on this textual content.

>> To learn additionally: Immolation by the fire of a student in Lyon: “This incredible drama must worry us”

Since then, grouped beneath the hashtag # LaPrécaritéTue, college students from throughout France are demonstrating their day by day difficulties in attempting to make ends meet. Stress, fatigue, isolation … They inform us extra about their life path generally untenable.

Mia, 25, a scholar at Paris I in Economics: “We should present that it isn’t a alternative”

“I dwell with my dad and mom who’re each unemployed, and I’m the one supply of earnings from house. I've been doing scholar jobs since I used to be in second 12 months. I hardly obtained my license as a result of nothing is finished for salaried college students. It additionally helped me to repeat my third 12 months and my Grasp 1. I work about 15 hours per week throughout class intervals, and 19 to 22 hours throughout faculty holidays. I had 440 € of inventory market, and between 500 and 600 € of wage. After my second 12 months, I misplaced my scholarship rights due to my repetition, regardless of my use of Crous.

The issue with the college is that they assume that working alongside is a alternative, when it’s completely not. It’s a necessity. The administration was in fact conscious of my state of affairs. And but, this 12 months, in M1, I obtained 9.eight common. Sadly for me, and regardless of my recourse with the UNEF, they felt that my scholar job and my state of affairs weren’t adequate purpose to ask the jury an additional zero.2 level.

They completely didn’t bear in mind my state of affairs as a scholar worker, and I used to be entitled to an e mail from the director of L'UFR who advised me that she understood, however that she couldn’t do something since in Grasp, it’s the director who decides. I appealed to the dean of the college, who didn’t even hassle to reply me. And that's how I discover myself with out Grasp 1 this 12 months. Whereas ready to have the ability to discover one other M1, I’ve a fixed-term contract in an administrative job, but it surely actually annoys me to have a break.

I made this tweet to denounce the precarious state of affairs through which the scholars are, and present that it isn’t a alternative. It actually wants extra assist for precarious college students, and / or a research association. I'm afraid I can’t discover M1 subsequent 12 months, and never end my research. Morally, it is extremely troublesome to say that one cannot proceed one's research due to monetary causes, that no person understands it, and to be on the facet … “

Léonard, 19, a scholar at Sciences Po Paris: “I'm sick of the lies of the members of the federal government”

“I'm a fellow. I don’t assume I’ve essentially the most troublesome state of affairs as a result of my faculty, which has extra funds than universities in France, “boosts” the scholarships as much as 75%. I’m additionally lucky to have a scholar lodging in Crous, which prices 480 € per 30 days and is new and properly geared up. With the APL and the inventory market, it solely leaves me € 100 to dwell. I do homework assist subsequent door as a self-entrepreneur (with a platform). It takes me a number of hours per week, I earn $ 200 extra a month, which permits me to make ends meet. My dad and mom, intermittent present, assist me once they can.

If I tweeted about it, it's as a result of I'm bored with the lies of the federal government. They declare to have taken the topic head-on whereas their report, whereas they proceed the coverage that has precarious for 20 years. Between the rise in charges for non-European college students, the decline of the APL … To have his purse is galère, to have the APL is galère … One should combat with the administration to acquire our rights the extra primary. For instance, the Crous at present owes me € 200 “benefit scholarship”, two months unpaid. This support has been halved in 2015.

I’ve small money owed with my buddies, I don’t see it essentially properly. I do not need essentially the most troublesome course, even when I occur to have the empty checking account a number of days in a row, the place I handle to eat pasta and go to buddies. It doesn’t forestall: working facet by facet, stress for cash … Research ought to be our “job” full time.

Until you come from a rich household, you need to combat. I’ll by no means have been in a position to research in Paris with out the lodging of Crous, which I obtained by probability. Earlier than that, I lived in an 8m2 within the twentieth, housing frankly not appropriate for residing there, even per week. Home windows that didn’t shut, doubtful electrical installations … properly.

I feel it's time for everybody to check with dignity. It’s not sufficient: to extend the inventory markets, to pay them to extra individuals, to facilitate the steps. For that, one would want the eighth of a CICE whose research confirmed that it was inefficient. Seeing a scholar pushed to suicide due to his monetary state of affairs is insufferable. Many people are indignant, and extra extensively not wanting this method, past the precariousness to which it compels us. “

>> To learn additionally: “Not a political act”, the immolation of a student in front of Crous? Clement Viktorovich responds to the government

Naïri, 27, on the legislation faculty of the Versailles Bar, Viroflay: “This drama is a little bit what I deplore daily”

“This drama is a little bit what I deplore daily. Since I’ve a license, I’ve nice monetary difficulties, and I undergo lots. Despair, I knew it, like all college students in my state of affairs … I’m a believer and I apply, and it’s actually my religion that allowed me to not commit suicide. Along with the monetary difficulties, I needed to overcome critical well being issues. In consequence, my research lasted longer than anticipated. And so I wanted much more cash. These items need to be mentioned, let that be identified. I made this tweet as a result of I hope issues will transfer inside the authorized occupation, who’re all conscious of what’s going on in colleges.

My dad and mom are each from immigration, they aren’t graduates. My father is a salesman, and my mom is a secretary. They earn simply 100 euros greater than what would have allowed me to entry the inventory market. Nevertheless, this isn’t what permits me to pay for my research … All through my research in legislation, I used to be compelled to work. I’ve lengthy folded garments at Uniqlo at 5 am earlier than going to TD (tutorials, ed) at 15 hours. I used to be rinsed. I did all types of wierd jobs: I offered socks, I labored in fast-food chains, I did the performing … On the slightest alternative I needed to work , I used to be doing it.

I redoubled my first 12 months. It has been a very difficult 12 months for me. I used to be hospitalized for well being issues, whereas having to get again to work rapidly. Once I defined my state of affairs to the administration of the school, I used to be advised that it was not sufficient to grant me a conditional passage. With a view to work on these schedules, I rapidly deserted the thought of ​​going to class: I used to be not going in any respect in lecture corridor, simply going to TD. I additionally labored weekends. That's how I obtained there, or a minimum of till now. As a result of sooner or later, if you wish to hope to face out, you need to do internships. However when you cannot afford to not work through the two summer season months, you cannot do internships. So I needed to make a scholar mortgage of 18,000 euros.

As soon as I arrived on the legislation faculty, I noticed that the presence was crucial and necessary, through which case we threat getting a zero to steady checking for the ultimate examination. Which is large. You could signal an attendance sheet earlier than and after the break. Besides that the typical age is 28 years, and stop individuals from having a wage for 4 to 6 months, I discover it unacceptable. And once I turned to the director to share my difficulties, he replied: 'Submit an over-indebtedness file to the Financial institution of France.' I merely requested to not be penalized for my absences. Particularly since I’ve to start out repaying my mortgage, as much as 300 euros per 30 days.

How can we be prevented from working in these circumstances? It's unattainable for me, so I take the danger of not going to class. I’ve no alternative: I’ve to fill my fridge, pay my hire and repay my mortgage. We'll see in due time if they need me to go to the disciplinary council … Since March, I work in a legislation agency. For a month and a half, I attempted to return to work at night time, so I left the varsity of Versailles at 17:30, I arrived on the workplace in Paris at 19 pm, and I stayed till one o'clock within the morning. And the following day I needed to stand up at 7 am to go to class. I rapidly collapsed, my physique didn’t observe anymore.

It's exhausting to say, however successive governments are sadly not the one ones accountable. Everyone seems to be accountable. From the TD chargeback who comes down as a result of we're late, to those that make enjoyable of scholars popping out of labor at McDonald's as a result of they scent the frying, going by way of these college students who ask us to point out our contracts of Work to present us their classes … Everybody is aware of, however nobody reaches out to us. I might have chosen the legislation faculty of the Paris Bar, which provides alternating coaching. Besides that for registration, should imperatively pay the 1860 euros without delay. Whereas, for the varsity of Versailles, one could make a cost in two instances. So I had to decide on this faculty. As a result of sure, the varsity prices 2,000 euros, however we do not need the suitable to work subsequent door. It's fairly wonderful … “

Maëva, 20, psycho scholar on the Victor Segalen College, Brest: “I didn’t get away with it”

“I wrote this tweet after coming throughout the # LaPrécaritéTue. I simply got here again to dwell with my dad and mom, out of obligation, not having the means to feed me. After the bac, I chained a number of odd jobs earlier than discovering the braveness to register on Parcoursup. My dad and mom dwell in Paris, and I used to be taken solely within the college of Brest, removed from house so. As I clarify in my tweet, with solely 320 euros scholarship for 244 euros hire, it was not attainable for me to proceed my first 12 months of Psychology. Since I used to be not doing properly and had issue discovering a job subsequent door, I went again to dwell with my dad and mom. I'm right here to stabilize myself a little bit. However I'm very careworn about not being in school anymore (I'm attempting to observe them a bit at a distance) and dropping my rights to the inventory market. “

Marie, 21, a scholar in Theater Analysis Grasp on the Sorbonne and on the Theater Conservatory: “When I’ve paid off everybody, I have no idea what I’ll have left”

“I’ve been a scholar since I graduated in 2016. Each my dad and mom work, however being the eldest sibling, I at all times knew that I needed to work early sufficient to not damage them, and likewise to present my brothers and sisters an opportunity to check no matter they need. For a number of months, I collected two jobs: one within the night, and one on Saturday.

I additionally specify that I’ve to pay repeatedly a psychologist, who helps me for my sanity. I feel it's essential to speak about it too, as a result of at one level I got here to surprise if I'd slightly research, eat, or be positive. I'm hardly exaggerating. I couldn’t pay my hire. My father gave me cash to dwell, and my mom to pay my hire. I used to be actually fortunate to have them, I’m conscious of that.

I tweeted this a number of days in the past as a result of I noticed that the phrase was launched on the precarious state of affairs of scholars. Not way back, I discovered myself in horrible administrative issues with the Crous. I had despatched my accomplished file, and I had acquired affirmation that they had been going to course of my file. Then nothing. They didn’t reply calls or emails. All summer season, I needed to shuttle to Crous de Paris, the place the queue is limitless. Usually, I used to be advised 'we should wait once more, it’s going to occur', and I left once more.

At first of September, I began to panic, due to the purse stems the inscription to the varsity, and from the varsity follows the navigational cross … I allow you to think about the panic, when, on prime of all this, it should handle the inscriptions to the suitable to the left, the hire, the meals … Someday, I acquired an e mail from Crous indicating me that it lacked elements in my file, to know my certificates of education of the present 12 months. I discovered it actually indecent, as a result of it’s exactly the Crous scholarship that enables me to register for faculty in regular instances. This 12 months, I needed to advance the registration payment. The state of affairs lastly obtained higher, and I obtained my scholarship.

In the present day, I acquired my late funds. I’ve to pay again the rents I’ve late, pay the brand new ones, and repay the individuals who helped me throughout this time. I'm fortunate to have relations who can assist me and likewise to know my proprietor, who tolerates my state of affairs. When I’ve paid everybody again, I have no idea what I’ll have left. I’ve not calculated but, I didn’t have time. It should be realized that these administrative administration, this stress, these spherical journeys and queues at Crous, these loans of cash proper to left, it’s time and fewer on our research and our trainings. That is particularly what I remorse and I remorse. The system through which we’re, with the social safety system and scholar scholarship alternatives, is a valuable assist that must be protected and inspired.

We’re the longer term, and if it turns into the norm to be too busy determining whether or not we’ll nonetheless have a roof tomorrow as an alternative of learning, caring for ourselves and our sanity, then it's not going properly. “