Paris (Monitoring Desk) — Nationwide student protests against the poor state of France’s education system have entered their third week. A total of 71,500 people participated in the demonstrations, including 24,500 who gathered in Paris.
Students and teachers are demanding better educational facilities, an increase in the number of teachers, and fewer students in classrooms. However, violent incidents have also occurred during demonstrations in some cities.
In Bordeaux, an attempt was made to set a police station on fire, while a school was vandalised in Saint-Étienne. Clashes also took place between police and protesters in Paris and other cities.
The government has promised to deploy additional teachers and introduce immediate reforms to the education system. However, student leaders have described the government’s measures as insufficient and announced that the protests will continue.
Meanwhile, the demonstrations have also highlighted political divisions in France just months before the upcoming presidential elections.