Trade unions have called for a large-scale strike on Thursday. Rail workers, teachers, and private-sector employees plan to join demonstrations in cities across France to support schoolchildren's demands for better conditions and protest against the rising cost of living and low salaries.
Dozens of high schools across France were blockaded again on Monday as the government braced for another tense week of protests over school conditions and the high cost of living.
The education ministry said 41 high schools were blocked across France, representing around 1% of the nationwide total. The demonstrations coincide with warnings that weeks without lessons are putting some pupils' school year and final exams at risk.
The education minister, Édouard Geffray, said the school blockades were"illegal"and stated his priority was for children to return to class. He said he understood why high-school students felt the government had not offered enough to fix problems in schools, but urged more dialogue between the government and pupils.
Geffray said:"We have pupils who are sitting their baccalauréat at the end of the year who for hundreds of thousands of them have had no classes for four or five weeks if you include holidays, and for whom the school year is now at risk.".
Combary told BFMTV that protests were the only way for schoolchildren to push a government response. He said:"Democratically speaking it's a bit scandalous that we have to reach this type of situation to be heard but it's the only solution we have.".