France student protests: Up to 500 high schools likely to be partially or fully shut, says minister

Lessons were suspended at hundreds of French high schools on Monday as part of a wave of student protest over learning conditions that have rocked the European nationStudents trickled into some schools despite ongoing protests outside their gates ahead of a day of larger demonstrations expected on TuesdaySince late September pupils have barred the entrances to their schools complaining of teacher absences overloaded timetables dilapidated classrooms and buildings illadapted to rising temperatures among other grievancesThe government has sought to address the grievances while accusing hardleft activists of having hijacked the protest movementUp to 500 out of Frances 3700 high schools known as lycees were expected to be partially or totally closed on Monday Education Minister Edouard Geffray said late SundayA third of the 468 lycees for teenagers aged 15 to 17 were to be closed in the Paris region authorities saidIn the capitals central third district on Monday morning dozens of teenage students chanted in protest as cars honked their horns in support while driving past while others made their way into classNo means no silence read one cardboard sign outside the Turgot high schoolWere missing our lessons to give you one read anotherIn the western city of Rennes more than 20 pupils gathered outside the Montaigne lycee one clutching a sign that read Not enough teachers but staff allowed other students into their classroomsIn the northern city of Lille masked protesters destroyed bus shelters or set fire to dustbins as police fired teargas towards several hundred demonstratorsThe movement started on September 17 at a high school in the Paris suburb of Creteil in support of teachers striking over a lack of staff and resourcesIt gained momentum and spread across France at times spiralling into vandalism including the destruction of bus shelters the burning of school entrances and clashes between protesters and security forcesThousands arrestedSince the start of the movement 24 schools had been burned or ransacked according to the education ministerMore than 5000 people 85 percent of them minors have been arrestedProtesters have also accused the police of using disproportionate force and internal investigations have been opened into at least three instances of alleged police brutalityPrime Minister Sebastien Lecornu set out a timetable on Sunday urging local authorities to prioritise filling gaps left by longterm teacher absences and unfilled postsHe called a meeting for Tuesday with regional presidents to discuss overhauling the countrys oftendilapidated school buildingsThe government is also hoping to pass through parliament a bill to make those who are responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves instead of drawing from taxpayer moneyGovernment spokeswoman Maud Bregeon defended the billWhen you have 14 15 16yearolds who at 9 am are burning bus shelters or perhaps even more seriously the high school where they study that raises the question of parental responsibility she told Europe1Cnews broadcasterLecornu has said the draft law first presented before the protests would allow these sums to be taken from family allowances and housing benefits while ensuring a minimum income is preservedThe head of the main CGT labour union Sophie Binet slammed what she called a populist announcement which she said would end up targeting the most vulnerable familiesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever