Thousands of students in France have been protesting against the condition of their schools. They have clashed with riot police. There are reports that police used tear gas against some protestors. The students began protesting in late September. The protests quickly spread nationwide. France's Education Ministry said more than 1,020 high schools have been affected by the protests. This is roughly one in four schools. The interior minister reported that around 5,000 people have been arrested in the past week. Most were teenagers. At least 65 school staff have been injured.
The students are angry about poor conditions in high schools. They say there is a lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate facilities, and old school buildings. One student said: "There are 35 pupils per class. We don't even have enough chairs." Students want more investment in education after years of underinvestment. In particular, they want more spending on schools in poorer suburbs. Students say schools in poor areas of Paris get fewer resources despite greater educational needs. The education minister said there would be "concrete responses" from the government.
Try the same news story at these levels:
School Protests - Level 4 or School Protests - Level 6
Sources- https://www.france24.com/en/france/20261002-hundreds-of-french-schools-remain-closed-as-student-protests-turn-violent
- https://time.com/article/2026/10/02/france-student-protests-arrests-injuries-school-closures/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ck3r5dxxwqzpo
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