Politics · France · 5 hrs ago
French high school students continue protests over staffing and school conditions
High school students in Marseille and Amiens are continuing protests over overcrowded classes, run-down buildings and a lack of teachers.
Students met in Marseille on Sunday to plan the movement, while those in Amiens said they would keep protesting until the government listens.
The government has announced 3,000 substitute teachers for more than 500 schools facing problems.
The high school students' union says this will cover only a small share of the teaching hours missing each year and is not a lasting solution.
It also points to reports of substitute teachers travelling long distances to teach subjects outside their usual field.
A nationwide day of protests is planned for Tuesday, 13 October.
The union says students should continue the movement during the school holidays the following week.
High school students in Marseille and Amiens say they will continue protesting over crowded classes, deteriorating school buildings and teacher shortages.
The government has announced 3,000 substitute teachers for more than 500 schools facing problems.
Student unions say the plan is insufficient and does not address the broader shortage of teaching hours.
A nationwide day of protests is planned for Tuesday, October 13.
The Union syndicale lycéenne says protests should continue during the school holidays.
- Who
- High school students in Marseille and Amiens, backed by student unions.
- What
- They are continuing protests over crowded classes, deteriorating school buildings and teacher shortages.
- When
- A nationwide protest day is planned for Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
- Where
- Marseille, Amiens and, for the planned protest, across France.
- Why
- Students say the government has not provided concrete solutions; unions say its plan for 3,000 substitute teachers is insufficient.
French government
Student unions
Government response
French government
The government announced 3,000 substitute teachers for more than 500 schools facing problems.
Student unions
Student unions say the measures are insufficient and the staffing plan is precarious.
Scale of the shortage
French government
The announcement is presented as a response to staffing problems.
Student unions
The USL representative says the 3,000 teachers cover only 2 million of the 20 million teaching hours missing each year.
On veut encore plus manifester, encore plus se regrouper, regrouper encore plus de gens, pour que, justement, ça soit énorme en fait, pour qu'on nous écoute vraiment
La suite, c'est de continuer. On a besoin de tous les lycéens qui sont à Amiens. Il faut continuer. Le temps qu'on ne sera pas écoutés par l'État, on continuera de parler.
Ces 3 000 professeurs ne couvrent que 2 millions d'heures sur les 20 millions d'heures qui manquent annuellement.
Several dozen high school students met in a general assembly in Marseille to organise the next steps in the movement.
The prime minister announced 3,000 substitute teachers for more than 500 schools facing problems.
A new nationwide day of protests is planned.
- Substitute teachers announced
- 3,000
- Schools covered by announcement
- More than 500
- Missing teaching hours
- 20 million annually, according to the USL representative
- Hours covered by announced teachers
- 2 million, according to the USL representative
- Marseille assembly
- Several dozen students met on Sunday, October 11
Sources
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