PARIS — France is preparing to partially or fully close as many as 400 to 500 high schools on Monday, October 5, after student protests over education conditions escalated into clashes, arrests, injuries and damage at some schools.
France to close up to 500 schools on Monday over student protests https://t.co/vSxP5S0Jpe
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 5, 2026
Education Minister Édouard Geffray said lessons would be suspended completely or partly at affected schools because security conditions were not sufficient to safely receive students and staff. The closures are not a nationwide shutdown, and authorities plan a progressive return to classes wherever conditions permit.
The movement began last week and has spread from the Paris area to cities including Toulouse, Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. Students have raised concerns about teacher shortages, absent teachers not being replaced, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings and inadequate resources.
Hundreds of French High Schools Affected
The disruption follows several days of demonstrations across France. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 735 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools had been affected in some way by violent protests on Friday.
Geffray warned that Monday could again bring significant disruption, although the government wants schools to reopen progressively. Some affected institutions may close entirely, while others could suspend only part of their normal timetable.
Families should therefore check information directly from their school or regional education authority rather than assume that all French high schools are closed.
24 Schools Burned or Ransacked
Violence and property damage have become a major concern for authorities. Geffray said 24 schools have been burned or ransacked since the protests began, while 78 education staff members have been wounded.
French riot police have been deployed during demonstrations, including in Toulouse, as confrontations have developed around some schools.
Geffray alleged that activists, particularly from the far left, had infiltrated parts of the student movement and engaged in extreme violence. That is the minister’s characterization of some participants and should not be applied to the student protest movement as a whole.
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More Than 5,000 Arrests Reported
The police response has been extensive. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 1,747 people were arrested on Friday alone.
AFP reported that more than 5,000 people have been arrested since the movement began, with approximately 85% of those detained being minors.
The figures underline the challenge facing authorities: many protesters are school-age students raising education concerns, while police are also responding to vandalism and serious disorder at some demonstrations.
Students and parents can follow official education announcements through the French Ministry of National Education and their individual school or academy.
Government Responds to Students’ Concerns
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Sunday that his government was taking further steps to address difficulties facing students and education staff.
The government says it will focus on keeping classes running, improving school facilities, better organising school days and making Parcoursup, France’s university admissions platform, more transparent.
It is also accelerating consideration of a proposed “vandal-pays” measure intended to make people responsible for vandalism bear the cost of the damage they cause.
More Demonstrations Planned Tuesday
Monday’s closures may not end the disruption. Protest organisers have called for demonstrations to continue on Tuesday, October 6, accusing the government of failing to provide enough concrete measures to address their demands.
That means authorities must simultaneously reopen schools where possible and prepare for another potential day of demonstrations.
Nantes is among the cities affected by the unrest, following recent disruption involving the Nelson-Mandela High School fire in Nantes. The demonstrations also come during a period of wider disruption in the country, including recent fuel shortages across France.
Families Need to Know Monday
The key point for parents and students is that France is not closing every high school. Around 400 to 500 schools could be completely or partially affected, and arrangements will differ by location.
Families should check official school notices before travelling Monday because closures and timetables could change as authorities reassess local security conditions. With another protest day planned Tuesday, disruption could extend beyond Monday in some areas.
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