Education: France Issues €4bn Repair Loan as Students Reject Offer

The French government announced a €4 billion loan to regional authorities on Monday to fund repairs for deteriorating school buildings, a measure aimed at addressing the physical state of institutions that education minister Édouard Geffray described as “not fit” for teaching.

The funding package coincides with a review of the university application system and new limits on class sizes. Geffray stated that classes for 15-year-olds in the first year of high school will be capped at 28 students in the 50% of schools located in the lowest-income areas. This cap will extend to all high schools next year. The government also confirmed the creation of additional teaching posts and a review of the baccalaureate examination system.

Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste said 15,000 extra student places would be created, with a focus on vocational courses. The Parcoursup platform, which handles university applications, will be modified in 2027 and replaced by a new system in 2028. Parliament is scheduled to debate these changes on Wednesday.

Pierre Sourzat of the student union Les Lycéens rejected the initial proposal as insufficient. Speaking to France Info television on Monday, he stated that the group is in a power struggle and must continue to mobilize to meet the maximum of their demands. He argued that the government needed to provide full measures rather than half measures.

Louis Letoublon, who represented Les Lycéens in a meeting with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, noted that while not all demands were met, the government had acknowledged the need to listen. He declared that the students would continue protesting for as long as necessary. Baptiste responded that the government’s door remained open for further discussions.

The proposals come after more than five weeks of high school blockades that began in September. The movement has joined forces with trade unions and cost-of-living protesters in regular Saturday street demonstrations. Authorities have increased security and imposed curfews in certain cities following the violence on 17 October, which included looting and fires. Interior minister Laurent Nuñez reported that ultra-right groups had arrived in organized formations in cities like Nice and Montpellier to target protesters, with eleven suspects facing charges.

President Emmanuel Macron visited Marseille on Monday and warned that the next demonstration on 31 October would be a day of risk. He noted that the country is in a state of turmoil six months before the presidential election, with Marine Le Pen currently leading the polls. Authorities have admitted to security failures that contributed to the clashes in late October.