French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Monday, November 2, that he was prepared to meet high school student representatives again next week. The announcement came as student and high school organizations called for further mobilization, including new protest days on Tuesday and Thursday.
During a parliamentary debate the previous week, Lecornu had pledged to meet representatives of high school and university students within 15 days to review the commitments already made, address obstacles to their implementation and discuss further decisions, according to Matignon.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said the government’s immediate priority was for students to return to class after the Toussaint break. He noted that some students preparing for the baccalaureate had not attended lessons for four or five weeks. While defending the right to protest, Geffray said that no one should prevent another student from attending school.
The Education Ministry reported that 41 high schools were blocked at 9:30 a.m., representing around 1% of France’s approximately 3,700 establishments. No disruption was reported in three-quarters of the country’s departments.
Several schools were nevertheless affected in major cities. In Paris, the Arago and Hélène-Boucher high schools were blocked, with more than 100 students gathered outside, while mobile gendarmes were deployed near Hélène-Boucher. In central Marseille, rubbish bins were stacked in front of the entrance to Montgrand High School. Student activists said that around seven of the city’s approximately 75 high schools were blocked.
In Toulouse, students reinstated blockades at Berthelot High School, while pupils gathered near the entrances of the Arènes, Ozenne and Saint-Sernin schools. A filtering blockade was set up at Cornouaille High School in Quimper, allowing some students who wished to return to class to enter. Schools were also involved in mobilizations in Rennes and Nantes.
In the Rhône department, the prefecture reported gatherings outside 15 schools. At Ampère High School in Lyon, riot police removed rubbish bins and barricades placed at the entrance, although some students remained outside.
The government has announced several measures in an effort to end the movement, which has continued for six weeks. These include the gradual replacement of Parcoursup by 2028, the cancellation of planned education job cuts, 500 additional positions, a limit of 28 students per class in the second year of high school and 15,000 additional places in higher education.
Matignon also said Lecornu had asked the education minister to ensure that a response was provided to the 200 high schools identified as facing the greatest difficulties through the consultation platform.
Sources: Le Monde.