France has suspended high school classes nationwide for the entire week after hundreds of thousands of students gathered to demand education reforms. In some cities, clashes erupted as police fired tear gas to disperse the protests.
On 6 Oct 2026 GMT+7, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ordered the suspension of high school classes across the country for the remainder of the week following widespread protests demanding education reform and clashes between demonstrators and police in several cities.
Prime Minister Lecornu stated that canceling classes aims to allow school administrators, teachers, and students to jointly seek solutions to problems within schools. He emphasized that burning schools does not solve the issue of deteriorating school buildings and ordered the government to expedite consideration of students’ demands by the end of this month.
Protesters are calling on the government to address teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms, as well as to adjust lunch breaks and class schedules appropriately. Teachers, parents, and several labor unions have joined in support. On Tuesday, official figures reported about 250,000 people participating nationwide, while organizers estimated around 500,000. The high school student union noted that nearly 2,000 schools were closed or had entrances blocked that day.
The French Interior Ministry reported that since the protests began, approximately 6,100 people have been arrested, mostly under 18 years old. The Ministry of Justice is preparing to press charges against more than 1,800 suspects, including 1,483 youths. Additionally, Prime Minister Lecornu said at least 215 teenagers and 715 police officers have been injured.
The protests in France have entered their third week amid dissatisfaction over budget issues, teacher shortages, crowded classrooms, and deteriorating school facilities. The government is trying to find ways to resolve the situation, while the increasing violence has intensified pressure on authorities to respond quickly to students’ demands.