Student protests are spreading in France, as young people have continued to block schools and demonstrate in the streets, demanding concrete measures from the government to improve conditions in education.
In Paris and Strasbourg, public and private school students, as well as students in preparatory classes, erected makeshift barricades in front of educational institutions. Protesters are demanding more investment in dilapidated schools and solutions to staff shortages.
The movement began about two weeks ago in the poor suburbs of Paris, but has gradually spread to other parts of the country. The government has deployed law enforcement, arguing that in some cases the protests have degenerated into violence.
Faced with mounting pressure, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has asked ministers to address the students' main demands. These include replacing absent teachers, reviewing long school hours, extending lunch breaks and repairing aging school buildings.
Ministers must present the first proposals by the end of October, as the protests increase pressure on the French government at a time when the country is also facing economic problems and a growing budget deficit.
