High-school students across France have engaged in protests and walkouts in Paris and other cities, citing concerns about the education system. The demonstrations have resulted in a significant number of arrests and injuries among the participants.
In just over a week, approximately 4,400 people, predominantly minors, have been arrested in connection with the protests. Injuries reported include a 16-year-old losing the use of an eye, a 15-year-old losing a hand, and a 14-year-old sustaining a broken jaw, all attributed to police munitions.
The students' anger is reportedly fuelled by various issues within the French education system. These include schools with collapsing ceilings, rats in classrooms, and a lack of drinkable water in some facilities. There has also been an increase in the average class size, rising from 27 students in 2010 to over 30 today. Furthermore, half of primary and high schools were reportedly missing teachers at the start of the school year, with many lacking substitutes or replacements.
A teacher, Julie, 34, who joined the demonstrations, attributed staff shortages to "low salaries and poor treatment." She stated that teachers' salaries in France are 56% of those in Germany. Fatoumata Sylla Wague, a 17-year-old student, described "unlivable" temperatures, mould, electricity cuts, and insufficient furniture in school buildings.