Kathmandu [Nepal], October 8 – France is struggling to contain its biggest student-led unrest in decades with protests that began over staffing shortages and inadequate resources at a suburban school spreading across the country.
Hundreds of schools have been disrupted while more than 6,000 people mostly minors with no previous criminal records have been detained since the protests began. Students, teachers and police have been injured.
On Tuesday hundreds of thousands joined demonstrations nationwide. In Paris, protesters set fire to bins, desks and chairs while riot police used tear gas and clashed with some demonstrators.
The protests began on September 21 at Saint-Exupery secondary school north of Paris where students joined teachers in demanding more staff and resources. Although additional staff were later provided the movement quickly spread to other schools.
Students say France’s education system is overcrowded and under-resourced. Secondary schools now have 2,50,000 more students than in 2008 while the number of teachers has declined. Around 70 percent of classes in public schools have more than 30 students, according to the report.
France’s Interior Ministry estimated that about 2,56,000 people joined Tuesday’s protests including 56,000 in Paris. More than 400 people were detained.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said 215 students and 85 education workers had been injured during the unrest while rejecting claims that the government had ordered a crackdown.
