Nevertheless,
Border students: their annoying exclusion:
ThoseGreater Geneva
Exclusion of border students annoyed families – Border students: their annoying exclusion
The Geneva school no longer wants to welcome young people established outside the canton. However, The proposed transitional measures do not leave the parents’ anger.
From the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Additionally, Meanwhile, no new student established outside the canton will be welcomed at the Geneva public school. For example, Those who are already there will be able to finish the current teaching cycle or. Moreover, in high school II, to continue until the targeted title is obtained.
Enrico Gastaldello
- The Geneva public school will gradually close its doors to border students by 2029.
- The affected families denounce a brutal change in the rules established in 2018.
- More than 2,500 students living in France are currently educated in the canton.
- The measure arouses the concern of French elected officials concerning cross -border cooperation and a postponement of charges.
The announcement of the end of schooling at the Geneva public school of students. Therefore, domiciled outside the canton on June 11 received a wrathful reception from the families concerned.
“We were surprised because. Furthermore, in 2018, the authorities promised that those who were still admitted could finish their studies,” says Eva*, mother of three children living in neighboring France. For example, It is not correct to change the rules along the way. Therefore, ”
This transitional regime ended at the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Nevertheless, The measure will extend to secondary II, excluding dual learning.
“In a context of strong pressure on the reception capacities of establishments. Similarly, the Council of State deemed necessary to put an end to these transitional provisions, precisely not made to last, motivates the head of the Department of Public Instruction (DIP), Anne Hiltpold. However. Nevertheless, I sincerely understand the difficulty for certain families, in particular those whose border students: their annoying exclusion children are already integrated into the Geneva school system. Consequently, It is for this reason that they will be able to finish the cycle in which they are. Meanwhile, ”
Border students: their annoying exclusion
Risk of school failure
Eva stresses that none of her children will be able to complete her career in Geneva with these new rules: “Two could end up primary school. Consequently, the orientation cycle in three years at three years. Furthermore, But for the eldest. However, which is in 10ethe deadlines are short so that we can bounce back by finding a rental in Geneva. Similarly, ”
The DIP wants to be reassuring: the registration process in secondary II begins this fall but. Therefore, even once it is finished, the adolescent will be able to integrate secondary II, provided that the border students: their annoying exclusion move takes place before September 30, 2026.
Why not educate your children in France? “This may defeat them, replies this mother, because the programs are not the same, especially English, much more advanced.” In addition, it has always been clear that children would study and work in Geneva …
Doesn’t schooling in the place of life not promote integration? “I hear this argument,” replied Eva. But putting my children at the Geneva school avoided me to place them completely in parascolaire thanks to the. help of grandparents. And they integrated into the fabric of the district where they study while having friends in our village. ”
The argument has a good back, adds the mother. Because behind the principle that we do not choose our school. there are many derogations outside the border students: their annoying exclusion case of cross -border workers. “In the establishment of my youngest. management ended the exemptions for a degree where there will be too many students next year, but not for the others. As for the orientation cycle. many young people take the bus to study in another district, and I am not even talking about the college! ”
The derogations remain “marginal at the canton scale”, reacts Anne Hiltpold. As for the cycle, the sectors are established to optimize bus travel times, specifies the DIP. And in secondary II. the allocation of a school depends first of all on the choice of the sector or the options, not all available everywhere.
Border students: their annoying exclusion
Bare
Françoise* Dress this bad news, “which puts all our projects in the water!” His children. 14 and 15 years border students: their annoying exclusion old, have done all their compulsory education in France, precisely to promote their integration into their place of life.
But parents have always had the project they are continuing their studies in Switzerland. The decision of the Council of State damped the desire of their daughter to integrate in 2026 a professional. sector nonexistent in France. As for the son, he could theoretically still join Secondary II from Geneva. However. he does not have the notes to enter college and his parents enrolled him in a private school for an upgrade for a year. An impossible financially long -term solution.
Currently. Françoise does not plan that her children are continuing their education in France: “For their professional future, the idea was to already have a foot in Switzerland. And in France. once we are embarked on a path, border students: their annoying exclusion it is more difficult to change it for those who have ambition. ”
In addition, “I am Swiss, I made all my professional life in Switzerland. With the father of my children, we pay our taxes in Geneva. We have fallen from the clouds … We must be able to take advantage of the infrastructure funded by our taxes! ”
“They push for fraud”
Because if schooling the cross-border workers had an exception until then had an exception. as Anne Hiltpold pointed out, it is the only canton where their families do not pay their taxes in France.
The magistrate retorts that it would not be equitable that students domiciled outside the territory benefit from access to schools in the canton even though Geneva students must change their establishment border students: their annoying exclusion in the event of a moving to another district: “It is equal treatment. but also the capacity of the public school to respond in priority to the needs of the population which depends directly.”
Return to Geneva? Françoise replies: “I bought my accommodation. the father of my children bought his house, the implications would be too important. We will probably try to find an address in Geneva. The authorities are growing in fraud. “
Courroux in neighboring France
A motion from the Geneva Socialist Party asks that “children (Editor’s note: cross -border workers) Already engaged in the Geneva school system “can” finish their schooling. including secondary “.
The same request was sent to the Council of State in a letter signed by 64 parents of the Athenaz primary school. border students: their annoying exclusion close to the border. They denounce an unjust. inequitable, cruel and stigmatizing measure, which will brutally jeopardize the balance, education and the future of children perfectly integrated into their school, social and educational environment.
“Families have made lasting life choices on the basis of the rules previously in force,” insists their mail. This is based on the principles of good faith, proportionality and the best interests of the child.
They add that children do not have to pay the costs of under. tension due to the challenges of demographic anticipation which are the responsibility of the authorities.
President of the metropolitan pole and mayor of Annemasse, Christian Dupessey also condemned a “brutal measure”. This “undermines the balance of the territory”.
In addition. several deputies from the border students: their annoying exclusion National Assembly of the constituencies concerned were worried about this decision in a letter to the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot.
The Geneva decision struck the spirit of cross-border cooperation. discriminates border workers, who nevertheless contribute to the richness and growth of Geneva, according to these parliamentarians, including Virginie Duby-Muller (Haute-Savoie). Over more than 1.2 billion francs in border workers, 800 million returns to Switzerland.
MEPs are concerned about pressure on the infrastructure of neighboring departments. the risk of increasing the number of false secondary residents. This “could negatively impact the financial allocations paid to French communities”.
They call for an “urgent dialogue” between French and Geneva authorities.
There will be no more border students in 2029
Students domiciled border students: their annoying exclusion outside the canton. already educated in Geneva will be able to continue their education until the end of an in progress teaching cycle (1p-4p, 5p-8p, 9e-11e CO); or until the title referred to in secondary education II. Understand that a student will no longer be able to change the sector there. even in case of failure in college.
Currently. primary school has 738 students living in neighboring France, cycle 457 and secondary II 1326 (students and full -time apprentices), that is to say a total of 2521.
Among them, those of 1p until the 10e CO (1037 students) will not be able to continue their journey in Geneva. Starting, in 2026, with those currently in 3p, 7p and 10e CO (335 students).
The new measure also affects cross -border workers outside the border students: their annoying exclusion canton who would have liked to integrate Secondary II Genevois. In 2029, there will be theoretically no more cross -border workers at the Geneva public school.
The first access restriction. at the start of the 2019 school year, concerned only the compulsory school, where it lowered their number of 500 between 2018 and 2023.
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