Hundreds of high schools across France are expected to remain fully or partially closed on Monday as student protests over conditions in the education system enter a second week. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said between 400 and 500 schools could be affected, out of approximately 3,700 high schools nationwide. The disruptions come ahead of a nationwide day of demonstrations planned for Tuesday.

The protests began in late September at a high school in a Paris suburb, initially focusing on teacher shortages and deteriorating school infrastructure. The movement has since spread to several parts of the country, with students also raising concerns about overcrowding and classroom conditions. Student unions have called for further demonstrations, while authorities are preparing for potential disruptions in major cities.

The unrest has also resulted in injuries and property damage. Geffray said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked and 78 employees of the national education system had been injured since the demonstrations began. Police and students also clashed in Lille in northern France on Monday, while authorities said thousands of people, mostly teenagers, had been arrested since the previous week.

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The demonstrations are unfolding against a wider backdrop of political and economic pressure on the French government as it seeks to advance a 2027 budget aimed at reducing the country's deficit. France's 10-year government bond yield briefly exceeded 5 per cent last week, reaching its highest level since 2002. The protests have added to concerns over the government's ability to manage mounting social and fiscal pressures.

Authorities have urged students to abandon blockades and continue their protests peacefully. Paris police chief Patrice Faure said in an open letter that the movement had gone beyond the control of those who initially launched it. Security officials are concerned that far-left and anarchist groups could attempt to exploit Tuesday's demonstrations, particularly in central Paris. The CGT union, meanwhile, has said its members will attend the protests, with its leader Sophie Binet stating that they would be present to support and protect high school students.

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