France to Close Up to 500 Schools as Student Protests Escalate and Clashes With Police Intensify

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France is preparing to partially or completely suspend classes at up to 500 high schools as student protests over deteriorating education conditions continue to spread across the country. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said between 400 and 500 schools would be affected on Monday because security conditions could not be guaranteed.

The closures follow several days of clashes between protesters and riot police. Authorities say 24 schools have been burned or vandalised since the demonstrations began, while 78 education workers have been injured. Thousands of people have been arrested, with reports indicating that most of those detained are teenagers.

The protests began in the Paris region in September before spreading to cities including Marseille, Montpellier and Nantes. Students have complained about overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and absences, deteriorating school buildings and demanding conditions. Some have also raised concerns about university admissions and the unequal quality of education between different parts of the country.

What began as school blockades has increasingly become a wider political issue. Government officials have accused far-left activists of trying to influence the student movement and contributing to violence, while opposition figures and some unions have criticised the police response. An investigation was also opened after footage appeared to show a police officer using a weapon against a student during an earlier confrontation.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has said the government is taking steps to address concerns raised by students and education workers. Measures under discussion include improving school facilities, addressing staffing problems, reorganising school schedules and making the university admissions system more transparent. The government is also accelerating legislation that would make people responsible for vandalism financially liable for the damage.

The protests are expected to continue, with organisers calling for another nationwide mobilisation on Tuesday. The government now faces the challenge of restoring normal classes while responding to demands over education standards and preventing further violence. With hundreds of schools affected, the demonstrations have become one of the most serious challenges facing France’s education system in recent weeks.