High school students in France have resumed protests and attempted to blockade educational institutions following a two-week holiday break, demanding improved school facilities, more teachers and increased funding for education.
According to the French Education Ministry, 41 high schools were blockaded on November 2, accounting for approximately one per cent of the country's 3,700 high schools. Student unions, however, estimated that the number of affected institutions was significantly higher, at around 150, The Guardian reported.
The protests, which began in the Paris suburbs in September, have spread across the country and disrupted classes for several weeks. Students have raised concerns over staff shortages, deteriorating school buildings, overcrowded classrooms and the lack of adequate resources. They are also demanding better access to higher education and reforms to the country's university admissions system, Parcoursup, which they consider socially unfair.
The movement has also expanded beyond education-related demands to include concerns over the rising cost of living, drawing support from trade unions and other activists. Some demonstrations in October turned violent, resulting in clashes between protesters and police.
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said that while students were entitled to protest, blocking access to schools was illegal. He described restoring regular classroom teaching as a priority, warning that continued disruptions could affect the academic year of several hundred thousand students.
The government has announced a series of measures in response to the protests. These include a proposed cap of 28 students per class in the first year of high school, €4 billion for school renovations, 15,000 additional higher education places and a replacement for the Parcoursup admissions platform by 2028. It has also cancelled planned education job cuts and promised 500 additional posts.
However, student representatives have said that the government's proposals do not adequately address their concerns and have vowed to continue the demonstrations. Student unions have called for further blockades on Tuesday and Thursday, while university students are also planning protests.
The continuing agitation has raised concerns about the impact on students preparing for the baccalauréat, France's national school-leaving examination, and those applying to universities. Students and teachers have warned that prolonged disruptions could leave final-year pupils unable to complete their coursework or adequately prepare for examinations and university applications.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is expected to meet student union representatives again next week.