Student organisations in France are calling for widespread blockades at high schools and universities on Tuesday, as protests continue over government measures they consider inadequate. They also plan to take part in Thursday’s nationwide mobilisation focused on purchasing power, which is expected to bring together private-sector employees, public servants and retirees for the first time since the start of the school year.
The government has announced measures including cancelling planned cuts to education jobs, creating 500 additional posts, limiting second-year high school classes to 28 students and adding 15,000 places in higher education. The prime minister has also asked the education minister to ensure that 200 high schools identified as being in particular difficulty receive a response. Youth groups have called these steps insufficient.
The groups’ demands include a €10 billion investment in education and higher education and the full repeal of Parcoursup, the university admissions platform. The government has said that replacing Parcoursup progressively by 2028 is among its plans. Other issues, including continuous assessment and school schedules, require further work before the end of December, the education minister said on Monday.
The education ministry reported that 41 of France’s 3,700 high schools were blocked on Monday. The Union syndicale lycéenne estimated a figure around four times higher. The ministry also said that about 15% of higher-education institutions experienced varying levels of disruption as students returned from the Toussaint break.
Student leaders say the movement will continue. Suzanne Nijdam, president of the Fage student association, told AFP that students remain willing to mobilise and want the government to provide concrete responses. High school students are also preparing to join Thursday’s demonstration, with some planning blockades throughout the week.
Sources: Le Figaro.