'We don't have a future': French students protest school conditions
As drums pounded and chants rang out, 16-year-old Yanis, flanked by a knot of friends, rattled off why he had joined tens of thousands surging through the streets of Paris on Tuesday to demand better learning conditions.
On Tuesday, over 56,000 students and teachers took to the streets of Paris to voice their discontent with school conditions. In Sarcelles, a northern suburb of Paris, 16-year-old Yanis highlighted the dire state of facilities, noting the absence of toilets and toilet paper, as well as overcrowded classrooms. Students from 15 to 17 years old have been protesting teacher shortages, overflowing timetables, poorly equipped classrooms, and buildings not designed to handle increasing temperatures.
In central Paris, protesters gathered at Place de la Republique, holding signs that declared "2026 is the new 1789" and displaying middle fingers as a sign of defiance. They chanted for President Emmanuel Macron to resign and denounced the far-right ahead of upcoming presidential elections. However, the festive atmosphere among young protesters was also tinged with pessimism, as some expressed fears about their future prospects.
For instance, 15-year-old Fidele, who aspired to become a lawyer, lamented that his school's conditions had left him disheartened, stating, "When I see the system, I tell myself that I don't have a future in this country." Another protester, 16-year-old Noham, who dreamed of becoming a computer engineer, worried that overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages would hinder his ambition.
Nadine Zilliacus, an educator with two decades of experience, observed a growing disillusionment among younger students, who increasingly voiced a "really dark" outlook on their future job prospects. Amid the protests, Ami, a 17-year-old student from the suburbs, expressed her frustration at the neglect of her high school compared to those in central Paris.
As the march reached the Nation roundabout, police presence increased, and tear gas was fired, causing confusion and fear among the protesters. Ultimately, the demonstrators sought to leave the capital, longing to return home.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
