Key facts
- Hundreds of thousands of students have protested across France over staff shortages and dilapidated school facilities.
- Students have complained of overcrowded classrooms, long school hours, and inadequate resources.
- The French government has pledged 3,000 additional supply teachers.
- Nearly 7,000 people have been detained during the protests, with over 85% being minors.
- Rights groups and unions accuse police of heavy-handed tactics against minors.
- A 15-year-old boy lost a hand during a confrontation with police in Lens.
Hundreds of thousands of students have protested across France since the end of last month, highlighting issues of staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in the country's secondary schools. The demonstrations, which have at times turned violent, have become a significant issue in France's polarized political landscape, with politicians from both the hard right and hard left seeking to leverage the unrest ahead of an upcoming presidential election.
Students have described overcrowded classrooms, insufficient lunchtimes, and poor conditions including broken toilets and mouldy ceilings. Teachers have joined the protests, citing long school hours punctuated by gaps due to staff shortages and the impossibility of giving individual attention to classes of around 35 pupils.
The French government has responded by promising 3,000 additional supply teachers and a plan to address the crisis by the end of October. However, these concessions have been met with skepticism by protesters who feel the issues go beyond basic facilities and reflect a broader sense of being unheard and unrepresented.
The unrest has led to widespread arrests, with the interior ministry reporting nearly 7,000 detentions, over 85% of whom are minors. Police have also sustained over 700 injuries. However, rights groups and unions have accused the police of using excessive force against young demonstrators, including batons and tear gas. Reports indicate at least 200 pupils and dozens of teachers have been injured. In one incident in Lens, a 15-year-old boy lost a hand, with conflicting accounts regarding whether he picked up a police-issued grenade.