مئات المدارس الفرنسية تغلق أبوابها وسط تصاعد احتجاجات الطلاب

France witnessed, today (Monday), a partial or complete suspension of classes in hundreds of high schools, coinciding with the ongoing wave of student protests that have spread across the country, amid preparations for larger demonstrations (Tuesday).

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced that up to 500 high schools out of approximately 3,700 may be closed fully or partially (Monday), due to the lack of necessary security conditions for classes to continue normally.

In the Paris area, authorities announced that about a third of the 468 high schools for students aged 15 to 17 were scheduled to be closed.

Demands Related to Education and Study Conditions

The protest movement began on September 17, when students at a school in the Paris suburb of Créteil started closing their school entrances in support of teachers' demands regarding staff and resource shortages.

Since then, the protests have expanded to several cities, amid complaints about a lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and pressure on schedules, in addition to the dilapidation of several educational buildings and the unsuitability of some to cope with rising temperatures.

In Paris, dozens of students gathered on Monday morning in front of a high school and chanted protest slogans, while other students continued to enter classrooms despite the presence of demonstrators outside the school gates.

In the city of Rennes, more than 20 students gathered in front of Montaigne School, while staff allowed other students to enter their classes.

Meanwhile, in Lille, reports indicated acts of vandalism including the destruction of bus stops and the setting fire to garbage containers, while police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

24 Schools Set on Fire or Vandalized

The Ministry of Education stated that 24 schools have been set on fire or looted since the protests began, while the number of individuals arrested during the protest movement has exceeded 5,000, according to figures reported by Agence France-Presse, noting that about 85% of those arrested are minors.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the arrest of 1,747 individuals (on Friday) alone, in one of the largest detention campaigns related to the protests.

Conversely, some demonstrators accused the police of using excessive force, and authorities have opened internal investigations into at least three incidents related to allegations of police violence.

The government warns against violence

Education Minister Edouard Geffray accused activists, some of whom he said are from the far left, of intervening in the student movement and diverting it away from the original demands of the students towards acts of violence.

The minister stated that the continuation of the unrest poses a danger to students and education workers, noting that 78 educational staff members were injured during the protests.

At the same time, the government emphasizes that it seeks to address the underlying causes that led students to protest, rather than merely relying on security measures.

Le Cornu Announces Measures to Contain the Crisis

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated (on Sunday) that the government will take steps to address the difficulties faced by high school students and education workers.

The measures, according to the government, include expediting the filling of vacancies resulting from long-term teacher absences and improving the conditions of school buildings.

Lecornu is scheduled to hold a meeting (on Tuesday) with the heads of French regions to discuss a plan for updating and repairing educational facilities that are suffering from deterioration.

The government also pledged to ensure the continuation of classes, reorganize the school day, and address shortcomings in school infrastructure.

Law to Hold Perpetrators Accountable for Damage Costs

In an attempt to combat acts of vandalism, the government is seeking to pass a bill that would require those responsible for damaging public property to bear the cost of repairing the damage instead of placing the burden on the public treasury.

Government spokesperson Mod Brignon defended the bill, arguing that the involvement of minors in burning or vandalizing public facilities also raises the issue of parental responsibility.

Lecornu stated that the proposed law, which was introduced before the protests broke out, could allow for some damage costs to be deducted from family allowances and housing benefits, while ensuring a minimum income for families.

However, the leader of France's largest trade union, Sophie Binet, criticized the proposal, describing it as a populist measure that could end up targeting the most vulnerable families.

New Demonstrations (Tuesday)

Protest organizers are preparing to hold new demonstrations (on Tuesday), accusing the government of failing to provide "concrete measures" to address the students' demands.