Foto: BB.LV / протесты в Париже
On Monday, November 2, the autumn school holidays ended in France, but not all high school students returned to their studies. Protests resumed in several cities across the country, accompanied by blockades at the entrances to high schools. According to the LETA agency citing AFP, the school protests are a continuation of a broader protest movement that has swept France this autumn. Last Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of French cities to protest against the high cost of living. Mass demonstrations have been taking place for the third consecutive weekend, and many of the participants are students. ### Why Are French High School Students Protesting? The first demonstrations began back in September when high school students started organizing protests against the conditions of education and social inequality. Subsequently, the protest movement expanded, and the demands of the participants went beyond just educational issues. In response, the French authorities announced a series of measures aimed at improving the situation in schools. In particular, the government promised to change the university admission process, increase the number of teachers, and limit the number of students in classrooms. However, some high school students believe the proposed changes are insufficient and intend to continue their actions. ### In Marseille, the Entrance to the High School Was Blocked with Trash Bins One of the protest actions on Monday was the blockade of the entrance to a high school in Marseille. In the morning, protesters piled several trash bins in front of the school building, obstructing access inside. > "We resumed the movement because we were seemingly given answers, but it is clearly not enough," said one student sitting on a trash bin to AFP. Similar actions are taking place in other regions of France. ### Education Minister Warns of Exam Failure Risk French Education Minister Edouard Geffray stated that the protests have affected only a small portion of the approximately 3,700 high schools in the country. According to him, the blocked schools are mainly located in the Paris region, as well as in the north and south of France. Speaking on France Inter radio, the minister urged students to return to classes. He warned that prolonged absences could seriously affect preparation for graduation exams. > "I have students who will have to take their graduation exams at the end of the year, and several hundred thousand of them have already missed classes for four or five weeks," Geffray noted. ### Macron Believes Youth Demands Have Been Heard French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the participants of the school protests. He urged high school students to return to classes in a calm environment, emphasizing that the authorities have taken their demands into account. According to the president, "the opinion of the youth has been heard." Nevertheless, the resumption of blockades after the school holidays shows that some students are still dissatisfied with the government's response and are not ready to cease their protest movement.
