Hundreds of schools in France remained fully or partly closed on Monday as teenagers continued to blockade buildings in what has become the biggest youth protest movement in years, according to the education minister. Between 400 and 500 high schools out of a total of 3,700 were expected to be shut.
The local prefect, François-Xavier Lauch, confirmed the 15-year-old lost his hand in Lens and said an investigation had been opened. Local newspaper La Voix du Nord reported the teenager was injured after picking up a police stun grenade.
Prime Minister Lecornu earlier attempted to calm the protests by calling schoolchildren's grievances "legitimate" and saying the government must listen. He ordered ministers to tackle five major demands: replacing absent teachers (pupils in some areas miss months of teaching even in key exam years), reviewing France's lengthy school days — among the longest in Europe — and repairing dilapidated school buildings. Students on blockades have described water leaking into classrooms, cockroaches, collapsing ceilings and unbearable heat in summer. Lecornu said ministers must come up with proposals by the end of the month.
Sophie Binet, head of the leftwing CGT trade union, said the government was late in offering to address the demands. "Amid such anger, a few measures just for show aren't going to satisfy demands," she said, calling for an end to budget cuts and teacher position reductions. Binet noted the number of absent teachers who were not replaced had doubled in 10 years and class sizes were at a record high.
Student unions have called for a national day of protest on Tuesday, with more schools expected to be barricaded. Thousands of trade unionists, teachers, public sector workers and parents' groups are expected to join support marches across France. Binet said trade unionists would march to ensure no violence on the edges of protests, criticising what she called an "unprecedented crackdown" by the government against the protests.
University students continued to support the movement, with up to 40 university buildings blockaded. Philippe Baptiste, the minister for higher education, said he expected protests could intensify with Tuesday's national action.