Geffray pledges €4bn loan for school repairs as students reject offer
Education officials announce a massive funding package and class size caps, but student unions vow to continue barricading schools.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
Édouard Geffray, France’s education minister, announced a €4bn government loan to regional authorities on Monday to begin repairs on dilapidated school buildings. He stated that some institutions were "not fit" for teaching due to collapsing ceilings, mould, and broken infrastructure. The funding aims to address the physical decay that has fueled student grievances for weeks.
The government also proposed capping class sizes for 15-year-olds at 28 in the 50% of schools located in the lowest-income areas. This limit is set to expand to all high schools next year. Additionally, officials confirmed that the Parcoursup university application platform will be changed in 2027 and replaced by a new system in 2028. Parliament is scheduled to debate these changes on Wednesday.
Despite the concessions, Pierre Sourzat of the student union Les Lycéens rejected the package as insufficient. Speaking to France Info television, he described the situation as a power struggle requiring continued mobilization. "We want measures, not half measures," Sourzat said. His organization urged high school pupils to keep barricading their schools and participate in street protests.
Louis Letoublon, who met with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on behalf of Les Lycéens, acknowledged that the government was responding to pressure. He noted that not all demands were met and pledged to continue the movement for as long as necessary. Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste said the government’s door remained "open" for further discussions. He also announced that 15,000 extra student places would be created, with a focus on vocational courses.
The announcement comes more than five weeks after high school blockades began in September. The movement has grown into the largest youth protest campaign in years, joined by trade unions and cost-of-living protesters. Demonstrations have taken place on Saturdays, though authorities have increased security and imposed curfews in certain cities following the violent clashes on 17 October.
Interior minister Laurent Nuñez reported that eleven suspects face charges after ultra-right groups arrived in organized formations to target protesters in cities like Nice and Montpellier. In Marseille on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that the next demonstration on 31 October would be a "day of risk." He stated that the country should not be in such turmoil six months before the presidential election.
