France suspends classes at hundreds of schools amid mass high school student protests

Mass protests by French high school students have spread to hundreds of schools across the country, with students blocking school entrances and staging sit-ins to oppose proposed changes to the baccalaureate examination system and cuts to school funding.

The movement began in Paris and quickly spread to major cities including Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Nantes. Student unions estimate that over 200 schools are affected, with some regions seeing near-total participation from student bodies.

The protests were triggered by the government's announcement of plans to restructure the baccalaureate — the national diploma examination taken at the end of high school — and reduce budgets for certain school programs. Students and teachers' unions argue the reforms would worsen educational inequality and increase pressure on students.

French Education Minister Nicole Belloubet held emergency meetings with student union leaders and pledged to suspend the most controversial elements of the reform pending further dialogue. However, student leaders said the pledge was insufficient and vowed to continue the demonstrations.

The protests have drawn comparisons to the 2018 lyceen movement, which also saw nationwide school blockages over education reform. The government is under pressure to resolve the dispute before it spreads further or escalates into violence.