French students call for more protests after government education offer
Student representatives say proposals on school repairs, class sizes and university admissions fall short of their demands after talks with ministers in Paris.
French student representatives urged further protests after meeting Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and education ministers in Paris on October 26, saying the government's proposals on schools and university admissions fell short. The response leaves the government facing continued student demonstrations despite an offer of repairs, smaller classes and more higher-education places.
Louis Letoublon, vice-president of Les Lycéens, said after the meeting that not all the group's demands had been met. He called on high-school students to protest on October 31 and November 5. The Guardian also reported that student representatives urged continued mobilisation after the announcement of the education measures.
What the government offered students
Politico reported that the government offered additional money for school renovations and 15,000 higher-education places in industry, health and technical education. Student groups had sought up to 250,000 additional places, better conditions in schools and universities, more teachers and changes to the selection process for university entry.
Education minister Édouard Geffray said some school buildings were unfit for teaching, according to the Guardian. He announced a €4bn government loan to regional authorities to begin repairs. The Guardian reported that classes for 15-year-olds in their first year of high school would be capped at 28 pupils, initially in the half of schools serving the lowest-income areas, with the limit extending to all high schools next year.
University admissions are another point of dispute. Student groups regard the Parcoursup application platform as opaque and a source of inequality, Politico reported. The Guardian reported that the government planned changes to the platform in 2027 and its replacement with a new system in 2028. It also reported plans for more teaching posts and a review of the baccalaureate system.
Why protests are continuing
University union UNEF said the proposals missed the point and that its members would remain mobilised in the streets and on campuses, according to Politico. The measures follow earlier school and university demonstrations and blockades that preceded wider unrest over the cost of living. See our earlier report on French students' funding demands.
President Emmanuel Macron said in Marseille that he had asked the government to address the demands behind the social movement, Reuters reported. Parliament was due to debate the education issue on Wednesday, according to the Guardian. Student representatives, meanwhile, have called for demonstrations on October 31 and November 5, setting an immediate test of whether the proposals can ease the dispute.
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Sources and context
- French government fails to convince students to stop protestsPolitico Europe
- Protest leaders urge French pupils to keep barricading their schoolsThe Guardian
- France’s Macron promises ‘strong measures’ to ease protestsSouth China Morning Post (Reuters report)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.