Pupils and students in France blocked dozens of schools and universities — The Hindu
On November 3, pupils and students in France blocked dozens of schools and higher education institutions, demanding repairs to neglected educational facilities, smaller class sizes and the creation of additional places at universities. The actions took place in Paris, Rennes, Lyon and other cities as trade unions prepared for a nationwide strike.
According to the authorities, 48 of France’s 3,700 lycées were blocked, while the operations of 51 out of 184 higher education institutions were disrupted. The USL student union said that 500 schools had been blocked and complained about harsh police actions near educational institutions.
Marches and campus blockades
Thousands of students marched through the streets of Paris and several other cities. In Rennes, around 30 pupils blocked Lycée Bréquigny, one of the country’s largest secondary education institutions. At the University of Lille, around 40 students blocked the campus with bicycles and rubbish bins, leading to the cancellation of classes.
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Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemned the blockades, saying that pupils should study and prepare for exams. He also said that some education workers had again been subjected to violence.
Demands for education funding
Last week, the French government presented measures in response to some of the students’ demands, including replacing the Parcoursup university admissions platform, which had been criticised for insufficient transparency. At the same time, students consider these proposals insufficient and are demanding €10 billion in investment.
As The Hindu reports, the school protest movement emerged in September and became part of broader demonstrations against rising prices and the inadequate level of public services. Authorities also reported the detention of three minors in connection with a fire at a school in Nantes in October that occurred amid the protests.
