Hundreds of schools to shut Monday as student protests rock France

France is set to witness widespread school closures on Monday due to a series of student protests, according to Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Up to 500 high schools, encompassing 400-500 institutions, may be partially or completely shut down, with the closures serving as a security measure ahead of planned demonstrations. Geffray highlighted ongoing issues within the education system, including high teacher absence rates, excessive school hours, and poor facilities, as the primary grievances driving the protests.

The movement originated at a Paris school on September 17th and has since spread nationwide, resulting in violent clashes between students and security forces. Many protesters have alleged that their concerns are being ignored, with some accusing the government of deploying excessive force. Geffray specifically mentioned far-left infiltrators who have allegedly engaged in violent acts during the protests.

Despite the unrest, he pledged a gradual resumption of lessons, with approximately a third of the schools in the Ile-de-France region, surrounding Paris, scheduled to close on Monday.