Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has joined high school students in France as nationwide protests continue over chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classes, and crumbling school buildings. Speaking outside the Lycée Paul Éluard in Saint-Denis, Paris, Ms Thunberg, 23, stated, “Young people are not being included in the conversation.”
The protests, now in their third week, have seen marches across the country, with interior ministry figures reporting over 260,000 protesters last Tuesday and 75,000 on Thursday. The education minister, Édouard Geffray, anticipates approximately 200 of the country’s 3,700 high schools will be completely closed today. He also stated that 3,000 substitute teachers are being deployed to schools facing the most severe staff shortages.
French media has reported that classes have been cancelled or disrupted in many more schools, with some lycées switching to online learning. President Emmanuel Macron called for restraint on Monday, stating the issues “deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect.”