France scraps fees for two courses amid student protests

Facing widespread student protests, the French government has scrapped annual fees for the two-year BTS and Prépa courses, making them fully free of charge.

French Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced the decision on Thursday, October 1. Previously, students were required to pay around €270 a year to pursue the two courses after completing the Baccalauréat.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 schools across France joined the protests on Thursday, with tensions and anger continuing to grow. In some areas, clashes between students and law enforcement turned violent.

The protests, which began 10 days ago at the Saint-Exupéry High School in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, have now spread across the country.

According to the Education Ministry, more than 1,020 high schools have joined the strike, with 222 completely blocked. The number of blocked schools stood at 180 on September 28, meaning protests are now taking place at roughly one in every four high schools in the country.

The protests have reportedly become increasingly violent. Smoke from burning rubbish bins was seen in several major cities, with footage quickly spreading on social media. Some schools also suffered extensive damage.

Following an emergency meeting of ministers, the Prime Minister’s Office said the protests had now “turned towards urban violence.” Around 1,950 people were arrested on Thursday alone.

Amid the tense situation, Education Minister Édouard Geffray said 65 school staff members and 170 students had been injured since the protests began. He said the movement had been “taken hostage by extremely violent groups.”

Bruno Bobkiewicz, head of the union representing school principals, expressed anger and frustration over the situation.

“We agree with some of the students’ demands, but some young people have come only to vandalise property, which is unacceptable,” he said. “The situation appears to have spiralled out of control.”