French government suspends classes amid growing student protests

The French government has suspended classes at several high schools until the end of the week in an effort to contain a wave of student protests that has grown in recent days, leading to the closure of more than 400 high schools on one day of demonstrations. Hundreds of other educational institutions have also been affected to varying degrees.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the decision as the government moved to open direct channels of communication with student representatives, aiming to ease tensions and create space for dialogue on demands related to education conditions.

Since late September, French schools have witnessed protests spreading from the Paris region to many other cities, after students raised concerns about teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, declining facilities, and problems with school buildings and learning conditions.

The impact of the protests has gone beyond class disruptions, with recent days seeing clashes between some students and police, as well as incidents of vandalism and fires near several educational institutions. Authorities have responded by temporarily closing schools and implementing security measures to protect students and staff.

As the crisis widens, the Ministry of Education has stressed the need to protect students and reject violence, while continuing to seek solutions to the issues that sparked the protests.

The suspension of classes until the end of the week is intended to give all parties a chance to de-escalate and hold more organized discussions, as the student movement prepares for further action.

In parliament, the ministers of education and interior are facing sessions before the National Assembly to discuss the crisis and ways to address it, as the government seeks to prevent the protests from escalating into a broader social crisis while ensuring the safety of students and staff and the continuity of education.