French authorities say up to 500 high schools will be partially or completely closed on Monday after days of clashes between riot police and student protesters, Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced Sunday.
Geffray told reporters that lessons would be “totally or partly suspended” in roughly 400 to 500 schools because security conditions could not be guaranteed. Since the protests began last week, 24 schools have reportedly been burned or ransacked, he added. The minister said 78 education staff had been injured in incidents tied to the demonstrations — a toll he described as unprecedented.
The unrest started over concerns about the state of the education system and quickly spread beyond Paris to cities including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. High school students and supporters have voiced complaints about teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated school buildings. What began as campus protests has, according to officials, been infiltrated by outside groups; Geffray accused far-left activists of hijacking the movement and engaging in extreme violence that endangers both staff and pupils.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that 1,747 people were arrested on Friday alone. Since the beginning of the movement, the AFP news agency says more than 5,000 people have been detained, with roughly 85% of those arrested reportedly minors. Authorities are also moving to hold those who damage school property accountable: Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government is speeding up a bill aimed at ensuring perpetrators pay for the damage they cause.
Despite the clampdowns and closures, student organizers have pledged to carry on, calling for continued demonstrations on Tuesday to demand “concrete measures” from the government. Protest leaders say they want substantive solutions to chronic problems in schools, including more teachers, improved facilities and better-organized school days.
The government has responded with promises to address those concerns. On Sunday, Lecornu outlined steps intended to ease pressures on high schools and education personnel: ensuring classes continue where possible, repairing and improving school facilities, reorganizing school schedules to reduce strain, and making the national university admissions platform more transparent. He said authorities aim for a “partial, progressive return to lessons,” while also safeguarding staff and students.
The scale of disruption varies by location. On Friday, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 735 of France’s roughly 3,700 schools had been affected “one way or another” by the unrest. Geffray warned that Monday’s affected-school figure could be similar to Friday’s, but maintained the government’s objective of gradually resuming teaching activities where feasible.
The crisis highlights longer-term structural problems in the French education system that students and unions have long complained about. While the government says it is taking immediate steps to protect schools and penalize vandals, protest organizers insist that tougher enforcement alone will not solve the underlying issues. They demand clearer, faster commitments on hiring, infrastructure investment and policies to reduce overcrowding.
As tensions continue, authorities face the twin tasks of restoring safety in schools and addressing the grievances that sparked the movement. The ministry’s decision to suspend classes in hundreds of schools reflects the immediate security concerns, but it also raises questions about learning continuity for thousands of students at a critical moment in the academic calendar. For now, officials say they will seek to balance enforcement and dialogue: pressing charges and accelerating legislation to recoup damages while promising reforms to improve conditions in high schools.
With arrests ongoing and demonstrations planned to continue, the situation remains fluid. The government has signaled a willingness to negotiate reforms, but student leaders are demanding visible, concrete actions. How quickly and effectively Paris moves to address staffing shortfalls, facility repairs and admissions transparency could determine whether protests fizzle or intensify in the coming days.
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