Bessèges closes Cantonade school due to low enrollment

In Bessèges, the Cantonade elementary school has been closed earlier than planned due to a decline in student enrollment. Fewer than 20 students were expected to enroll at the facility, leading the municipality to consolidate resources.

Sixteen students from Cantonade will be transferred to the Petit Villard school, where an additional class has been created for the start of the school year on September 1. Mayor Christine Roux stated that the decision to suspend the Cantonade school was made in consultation with academic inspectors to avoid maintaining a single class across five different grade levels. While the municipality intended to merge the schools within three years, the immediate closure was prompted by the rapid decrease in student numbers. The municipality is currently considering whether to renovate the Petit Villard school or rebuild it.