Up to 500 schools across France are expected to be partially or completely closed on Monday as violent student protests continue to disrupt the country’s education system.
French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said between 400 and 500 high schools could suspend lessons, either fully or partially, because security conditions have not been met.
The announcement follows several days of clashes between student protesters and riot police. Authorities say 24 schools have been burned or ransacked since the demonstrations began.
Thousands of high school students have taken to the streets in cities including Paris, Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille, protesting what they describe as deteriorating education standards.
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Among their complaints are a shortage of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and poorly maintained school buildings.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Friday that 735 of the country’s 3,700 schools had been affected in some way by the violence.
Education Minister Geffray warned that the number of schools affected on Monday could be comparable to Friday’s figure, although he said authorities would seek a partial and gradual return to classroom learning where security permits.
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The government has also accused far-left activists of infiltrating the student movement and encouraging violent action. Geffray said the unrest represents a serious risk to students and education workers.
According to the minister, 78 education staff members have been injured, a level of violence he described as unprecedented.
Meanwhile, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 1,747 people were arrested on Friday alone. The AFP news agency reports that more than 5,000 people have been arrested since the protests began, with approximately 85% reportedly being minors.
Protest organizers have called for demonstrations to continue on Tuesday, accusing the government of failing to introduce concrete measures to address students’ concerns.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government was taking additional steps to respond to the difficulties facing students and education workers.
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The measures include efforts to keep classes running, improve school facilities, reorganize school timetables and make the country’s university admissions platform more transparent.
Lecornu also said the government was accelerating its review of a proposed “vandal-pays” bill, which would make those responsible for damage financially accountable for the cost of repairs.
With protests continuing and hundreds of schools facing disruption, pressure is mounting on the French government to restore order while addressing the underlying concerns driving the student movement.
