France: around 500 schools closed after student protests
Education minister reports teaching suspended in 400–500 high schools and 24 schools burned or looted as demonstrations spread from Paris.
About 500 schools across France remain closed after a week of clashes between police and students, the country’s education minister said.
Eduar Zhefre told reporters that teaching had been disrupted at hundreds of secondary schools because authorities judged them unsafe.
Widespread walkouts and localised violence
“Teaching has been fully or partly suspended in about 400 to 500 high schools because safety conditions are not met. Since the beginning of the protests, 24 schools have been set on fire or looted,” he said. Zhefre gave the figures as demonstrations that began last week in Paris spread to other major cities.
Thousands of students have taken to the streets to denounce what they describe as shortages of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and ageing school buildings. The protests have combined peaceful marches with episodes of vandalism and clashes with the police.
Local authorities are evaluating which schools can safely reopen and which will remain closed while investigations and repairs continue.
Photo: AP)
