Hundreds of French high schools were disrupted on Monday as student protests over poor learning conditions spread across the country, with more than 400 schools affected and thousands of people arrested since the movement began.
France’s Education Ministry said lessons were suspended or disrupted at 413 high schools on Monday, while authorities had earlier warned that up to 500 of the country’s 3,700 high schools could be partially or completely closed.
The protests, which began in September, have been fuelled by complaints about teacher shortages, overcrowded timetables, poor school buildings and classrooms that are ill-equipped to cope with rising temperatures.
In Paris, students gathered outside several schools, chanting slogans and blocking entrances, while some pupils continued to attend classes.
The unrest was more serious in Lille, where masked protesters reportedly destroyed bus shelters and set fire to rubbish bins as police used tear gas against demonstrators.
The education minister, Edouard Geffray, said 24 schools had been “burned or ransacked” since the protests began.
More than 5,000 people have also been arrested, with about 85 per cent of them minors, according to authorities.
The government has accused hard-left activists of taking over the protests, while demonstrators have criticised the police response and alleged excessive use of force. Internal investigations have been opened into at least three alleged cases of police brutality.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has announced measures aimed at addressing some of the students’ concerns, including filling vacancies created by long-term teacher absences and unfilled posts.
He is also due to meet regional leaders on Tuesday to discuss the state of school buildings.
The government is separately backing legislation that would make people responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs, potentially through deductions from family benefits.
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon defended the proposal, saying the destruction of schools and public property by teenagers raised questions about parental responsibility.
The head of France’s CGT labour union, Sophie Binet, however, described the proposal as a “populist announcement” that could disproportionately affect vulnerable families.
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