Around 500 secondary schools across France remained shut or partially closed on Monday, 6 October 2026, as a nationwide student protest movement — triggered by staff shortages and crumbling school infrastructure — entered its second week, with another day of mobilisation planned for Tuesday. The demonstrations have been marked by clashes with police, arson, and widespread damage to school buildings and street furniture.

Scale of Disruption

France's Ministry of Education confirmed on Sunday that classes would be 'totally or partially' suspended in 400–500 secondary schools where security conditions 'are not met.' Education Minister Edouard Geffray, speaking to TV channel France 2 and radio station France Inter, said there were 'between 400 and 500 suspended classes' on Friday, and that Monday would likely see a 'gradual, partial resumption.' He added that 24 of the 735 schools impacted by the protests had been 'set on fire or ransacked,' and that 78 staff members from the Ministry of Education had been injured since the unrest began.

What Sparked the Movement

The protests originated at the Saint-Exupery secondary school in Créteil, where students began demonstrating roughly two weeks ago in solidarity with teachers who had struck over staffing shortfalls and inadequate resources. Demonstrations then spread across France over the following week. Students have cited unsafe and insanitary buildings, overcrowded classrooms, and timetables unable to accommodate the absence of teachers. A vocal contingent has also voiced opposition to the ban on mobile phones in schools.

Police Response and Government's Defence

Law enforcement deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, defensive ball launchers (LBDs), and batons to disperse some protesters. During the demonstrations, rubbish bins and objects were set alight, projectiles were thrown at officers, and school buildings and street furniture were damaged.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez defended the conduct of security forces, posting on X that they 'do not repress young people but protect and supervise students and pupils who wish to peacefully carry out their demands.' He added that forces intervene 'with firmness and without delay to put an end to the degradations, violence, and abuses committed by troublemakers.' Nunez also rejected 'serious and unfounded accusations of so-called brutal and disproportionate interventions,' dismissing claims that crackdowns were directed specifically at 'racialised youth from working-class neighbourhoods' as 'totally disconnected accusatory rhetoric from the real world.'

Talks Fail to Produce Concrete Measures

On Friday, Education Minister Geffray met student representatives in an attempt to defuse tensions. The talks failed to yield any agreement, with representatives stating they had not obtained 'concrete measures' and calling for the movement to continue into the following week. The impasse suggests the protests are unlikely to subside quickly, particularly as the underlying grievances — staff shortages, infrastructure neglect, and timetable disruptions — remain unaddressed.

What Comes Next

With a fresh mobilisation planned for Tuesday and student representatives maintaining their call for continued action, French authorities face the challenge of balancing security with a legitimate institutional crisis in the country's secondary school system. The government's next move on staffing and resource commitments will be closely watched.