On Monday, May 23, the new Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye went to the college in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine where Samuel Paty, professor assassinated in October 2020, taught, sending the message that “it is the Republic that wins , Nevertheless “. The historian by training exchanged for an hour with the educational community of the Bois d’Aulne college in Yvelines, marked by the death of the history and geography teacher.
The new minister, who had paid tribute to Samuel Paty on Friday during the transfer of power with Jean-Michel Blanquer, explained to the press that he had gone there to deliver “a very simple message, which is that of the refusal of barbarism and hatred”. “But also the message that basically, the Republic, through school, is stronger. It is the Republic that wins, in the end, despite everything. He spoke of “the resilience, the initiatives that are taken, by the teachers, by the educational team, by the students” which show “how deep the Republic plunges into the nation”, stressing that this is “very moving”. And to add: “I wanted to make my first visit after the first council of ministers this morning, to this college, which I did not know, but which I knew in many respects because the memory of Samuel Paty has remained in my heart and in my mind. »
Pap Ndiaye recalled being a “historian by training”. “I have read his [Samuel Paty] book, Research Memory, which has been published since his death, and I have participated in other tributes including at Sciences Po where I was a professor. It is quite normal and natural that I therefore come here,” he insisted. The Minister of Education explained that he had “conversed very freely” with the educational community. “I was there to listen to them, we were there to talk about their situation, the difficulties experienced since October 2020, more than school issues stricto sensu, which we will have to look into. “I promised that I would come back to college to talk about these issues. More professional questions. So it’s a goodbye and a see you soon,” he added.
