Students across France are preparing for another round of demonstrations next week over deteriorating school conditions, even as most high schools reopened on Friday following days of protests. The United Nations has expressed concern over incidents of violence during the demonstrations, which began in late September and have spread across the country. Tens of thousands of students have participated in the protests, demanding better educational facilities, adequate staffing and improved classroom conditions. Although most demonstrations have remained peaceful, some have resulted in property damage and confrontations with police.

The protests have been driven by complaints about teacher shortages, overcrowded timetables, poorly maintained classrooms and school buildings struggling to cope with rising temperatures. Many demonstrators are between 15 and 18 years old and have blocked entrances to high schools, prompting authorities to deploy riot police. France's Justice Ministry reported on Friday that more than 6,800 people had been detained since the demonstrations began, with minors accounting for 86 per cent of those detained. The scale of the detentions has added to concerns surrounding the government's handling of the unrest.

The UN human rights agency said it was monitoring the situation with concern and urged all sides to avoid violence. Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the agency, said some incidents associated with student protests and school blockades had turned violent. While some protesters have reportedly started fires and vandalised bus shelters, police have used tear gas, batons and blast balls to disperse demonstrators. These actions have prompted criticism from rights groups and young protesters, who have questioned whether the use of force was proportionate. Police have opened 18 internal investigations into alleged misconduct.

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Concerns over police tactics intensified after a 15-year-old student lost a hand on Monday when police fired a stun grenade. The government subsequently suspended the use of the weapon. In Paris, police used tear gas in Bastille Square on Thursday evening to disperse individuals described by authorities as posing a high risk. Meanwhile, the government has announced measures aimed at addressing some of the students' grievances. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said approximately 3,000 substitute teachers would be deployed in the coming days to cover staff shortages at the 114 most affected high schools.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has promised a broader plan to address the education crisis by the end of October. Economy Minister Roland Lescure has also indicated that additional resources could be considered within the constraints of the proposed 2027 budget. Education spending is scheduled to increase by 1.4 per cent to 90.9 billion euros under the current draft, making it the second-largest funding increase after defence. According to the Education Ministry, 141 of France's approximately 3,700 high schools remained closed on Friday, compared with around 800 a week earlier.

Despite the reopening of most schools and the government's announcements, student organisers have indicated that demonstrations will continue. Protesters in several cities have described the proposed measures as insufficient, arguing that deeper changes are needed to address longstanding problems in the education system. Student union representative Marius Mesnil called for another wave of demonstrations on Tuesday, while students in Toulouse and Marseille expressed determination to continue their campaign. The coming week is expected to test whether the government's staffing commitments and promised reforms can ease tensions or whether protests will expand further.

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