France: High school closures resume Monday - Sarmad
Student leaders announce resumption of high school closures due to government's failure to meet their demands
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
A leader of a student movement in France announced the resumption of high school closures starting Monday, stating that the government’s proposals failed to meet the protesters’ demands for better educational conditions.
On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people, including high school students and university students, demonstrated across France, marking the third wave of protests in the country over the weekend.
Starting Monday, when students return from a two-week school break, access to some high schools will be restricted, said Pierre Surza, leader of the “Lycéens” group.
Pierre Surza, speaking on Monte Carlo Radio, indicated that the movement “will intensify starting Tuesday, but we know that some schools will close starting tomorrow.”
He added, “We support all our comrades who are blocking access to their schools starting tomorrow.”
For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron called for the resumption of classes in schools under calm conditions, affirming that the voices of young people had been heard. However, Surza countered that “the President has not listened to us,” describing the government’s response as evasive and merely cosmetic.
Surza noted that the proposed reform of the university guidance platform, criticized for its lack of transparency, does not address the shortage of opportunities in higher education.
He also argued that the government’s plan to reduce class sizes is insufficient, clarifying that it would only apply up to the tenth grade, and emphasized that their demands apply to all age groups.
For her part, Sabrina Kharchache, spokesperson for the French Student Union and the High School Students’ Union, told journalists during a protest march in Paris on Saturday, “We will close our universities and high schools on Tuesday and repeat the action on Thursday, before joining the demonstration scheduled for November 5, called for by workers and trade unions.”
It is worth noting that the French government announced on Monday a series of measures in response to protesters’ demands, including replacing the university guidance platform and providing loans for school renovations. Students deemed these measures insufficient, following widespread protests over the cost of living after weeks of demonstrations organized by high school students against deteriorating educational conditions and inequality.
However, the French government’s room for maneuver appears limited, as France, the second-largest economy in the eurozone, is on the verge of sinking into recession and faces significant pressure to contain its debt, making it difficult to respond to students’ demands through additional funding.
