Hundreds of French high schools are beginning a second week of closures as student protests over overcrowding, teacher shortages and deteriorating buildings spread ahead of nationwide demonstrations.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said between 400 and 500 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools were expected to remain fully or partially closed on Monday, October 5.
Local protest grew into a national confrontation
The protests began in late September at a high school in a Paris suburb over staffing shortages, then expanded to schools across France. Students have also cited crowded classrooms, neglected facilities and unequal educational conditions.
Government officials say the unrest has moved beyond peaceful protest in some locations. Reuters reported that 24 schools had been burned or ransacked and 78 education employees had been injured since demonstrations began. Around 5,000 people, mostly teenagers, had been arrested since the previous Monday, according to authorities cited by Reuters.
Those figures are government totals and may change as cases are reviewed. Images broadcast Monday showed confrontations between police and students in Lille, while officials warned that organized groups could attempt to escalate demonstrations in Paris.
Nationwide demonstrations planned Tuesday
Student unions have called for a national day of demonstrations on Tuesday, October 6. CGT leader Sophie Binet said union members would attend, describing their role as protecting students and criticizing the government’s response.
The government says restoring safety and reopening schools are immediate priorities. At the same time, officials have acknowledged grievances about staffing and school conditions while condemning attacks on workers and property.
The closures also add pressure as the government prepares a 2027 budget intended to narrow France’s deficit. The demonstrations’ size, the number of schools able to reopen and the security response remain fluid.
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Sources
- Reuters, October 5, 2026.
- The Guardian, October 5, 2026.