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France is facing a growing nationwide student protest movement over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and deteriorating school buildings, with more than 5,000 people arrested and a major new mobilisation planned for Tuesday.
The protests, which began in high schools in the Paris suburbs, have spread to more than 1,200 schools across the country. Demonstrations have at times turned violent, with clashes between students and police, fires and property damage reported in several cities.
The Interior Ministry says about 5,000 people have been arrested since September 28, most of them teenagers. More than 600 police officers have also been injured, while dozens of students and education workers have been hurt.
Paris police chief Patrice Faure said Saturday that the movement had become “out of control” and urged demonstrators to return to peaceful forms of protest. He warned that police would respond firmly to violence and vandalism.
The next major test will come on October 6, when student unions have called a nationwide day of demonstrations. The CGT trade union is also expected to join the mobilisation, potentially broadening the movement beyond high schools.
The students’ main demands concern education. They are protesting overcrowded classrooms, shortages of teachers and nurses, poorly maintained school buildings and unequal access to educational resources, particularly in poorer areas.
In the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, where the movement began, students and teachers say staff shortages are particularly severe. A union survey cited by Reuters found that two-thirds of schools in the department had unfilled teaching positions.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said about 735 educational establishments were affected by the protests on Friday. The government has acknowledged students’ concerns but condemned violence and accused political groups on the hard left of exploiting the unrest.
The government has also increased the deployment of riot police as some demonstrations have escalated. Tear gas was used in several locations, while protesters have burned rubbish bins and thrown fireworks at police.
The protests have added pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government as it prepares to manage education spending amid wider budget constraints. France has proposed €65.5 billion for education in its 2027 budget, but students and their supporters say additional funding is needed to address worsening conditions.
Despite the violence surrounding some demonstrations, many students say their movement remains focused on improving schools and reducing inequalities in education.
With another nationwide mobilisation planned for Tuesday, authorities are preparing for further demonstrations and possible clashes, while student groups say they intend to continue pressing the government to address their demands.