Play store
PARIS, Oct 7 — France has been rocked by widespread student protests and clashes with police, forcing high schools across the country to suspend classes as anger mounts over deteriorating educational conditions.
Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and parents took to the streets on Tuesday in one of the biggest days of demonstrations since the protests began in September.
Police used tear gas to disperse protesters in several cities, including Paris, Strasbourg, Lyon, Rennes and Toulouse.
More than 250,000 people participated in the nationwide demonstrations, according to French authorities, while organisers put the figure at around 450,000. The protests have centred on overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, poor school infrastructure and long school hours.
The unrest has resulted in significant injuries. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu told lawmakers that at least 215 teenagers and 85 school staff had been injured, while more than 700 police officers had also suffered injuries. Nearly 500 people were arrested on Tuesday alone, according to the Interior Ministry.
The High School Students Union said more than half of France’s high schools had been blockaded or closed for the day, with some local authorities moving classes online.
The government has suspended high school classes nationwide for the rest of the week to allow schools to hold discussions with students and staff.
The movement began in the Paris region in September and quickly spread across the country. Students have complained about missing teachers, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings and an increasingly demanding school schedule.
Prime Minister Lecornu has promised to address the students’ concerns, including replacing absent teachers, reviewing school hours and improving ageing school buildings.
However, the government faces financial constraints as it struggles with a growing budget deficit and rising publicschool
