Tan-Tan – High school students across France returned to the streets on Tuesday as a nationwide protest movement entered its third week, with teachers, parents, and trade unions joining demonstrations over conditions in public schools.
Students blocked or disrupted schools in several cities, including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Nantes, and Nîmes. The protests began in September in the Paris region before spreading across the country.
The movement has focused on overcrowded classrooms, staff shortages, long school days, and deteriorating school buildings. Students have also raised concerns about Parcoursup, France’s university admissions system.
The High School Students Union said around 1,800 schools had been blocked or closed for the day. The Education Ministry had not confirmed that figure, according to Reuters.
Students in Paris gathered outside several schools, while demonstrations also took place in other major cities. In Marseille, students were joined by teachers, parents, and trade union members. Some universities also closed as a precaution.
The protests have also raised concerns over the police response after several teenagers were seriously injured during clashes.
On Monday, a 15-year-old boy in the northern city of Lens lost his hand and part of his lower arm after a police dispersal grenade exploded, according to local officials and French media. An investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances.
The incident came after other teenagers were injured during the protests. Le Monde reported that, as of October 5, 190 students, 650 police officers and gendarmes, and 78 school staff had been injured since the movement began.
French authorities have also reported thousands of arrests. Reuters said the Interior Ministry had recorded about 6,100 arrests since the protests began, most involving minors, while more than 1,800 people were facing prosecution.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has ordered ministers to prepare proposals addressing students’ demands. The government is considering measures to replace absent teachers, review the length of the school day, and improve ageing school buildings. Ministers have been asked to submit initial proposals by the end of October.
Protecting students was the government’s “priority” and described the Lens incident as a serious tragedy, Education Minister Édouard Geffray said Tuesday, stressing that an investigation would determine what happened.
The government has called for the protests to remain peaceful, while student groups say they intend to continue mobilizing until their demands receive a concrete response.
