France school protests spark violence, arrests; and India’s CJP movement comparison
For students protesting across France, the grievances are straightforward — overcrowded classrooms, too few teachers and schools in poor condition. Basic facilities are inadequate. In some cases, students say they are being asked to learn in conditions that they believe are simply not good enough.
Those grievances have now spilled onto the streets. What began in the Paris region has spread across France, with students blockading schools and clashing with police. Hundreds of schools have been disrupted or closed, and thousands of people have been arrested, news agencies reported.
Protesters celebrate after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (Praveen Khanna/file)
Its “School Thik Karo” campaign has taken members to schools in different states, where they have documented problems ranging from broken buildings and inadequate toilets to shortages of teachers and drinking water.
The French protests and the CJP campaign are not connected, and they have emerged from very different political contexts. But both draw attention to an issue often overlooked in debates over exams, rankings and education policy: the everyday reality of going to school, from the condition of classrooms and availability of teachers to basic facilities that students rely on.
Express InfoGenIE · World
France vs India: Two education movements, one question — are schools fit for students?
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Students in France are protesting; in India, the CJP is auditing schools.
The two movements are not connected and have different contexts and causes.
FRANCE
What are students protesting?
Overcrowded classrooms
“We are 35 per class”
Teacher & staff shortages
A year with no science teacher
Deteriorating buildings
Dilapidated, overheated classrooms
Education funding
2027 budget +1.7%, below inflation
Pressure in the system
Long school days, short lunch breaks
Source: Al Jazeera, CBS News, Euronews, Reuters
INDIA
What is CJP’s “School Thik Karo” campaign?
CJP says the aim is to “fix government schools in villages”: citizens visit a school, fill in its checklist, photograph problems and send the findings to local authorities.
SOCIAL AUDIT CHECKLISTCHECKED
Drinking water
Functional toilets
Electricity
Safe classrooms
Boundary walls & campus safety
Mid-day meals & teacher attendance
Aug 15launched on Independence Day
13languages for the checklist
1.6 millionschools CJP says the platform covers
Checklist and figures as stated by the Cockroach Janta Party on its campaign page. CJP has not yet published audit results. Source: Cockroach Janta Party
The CJP story
From an exam scandal to school audits
NEET-UG paper leakMay 2026
Jantar Mantar agitation36-day sit-in
Demand: Pradhan’s resignation
Pradhan resignsJuly 25, 2026
“School Thik Karo” launchedIndependence Day, August 15, 2026
Citizen school audits beginVolunteers audit government schools using CJP’s checklist
Source: Al Jazeera, ABC News, Cockroach Janta Party
What is similar?
Same focus, different route
FRANCE
Students↓Poor school conditions↓Protests and blockades
INDIA
CJP↓Poor government-school conditions↓Audits + demands for action
BOTTOM LINE
Different movements. Different contexts. A similar focus on the basic conditions students need to learn.
Sources: France: Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Euronews. India: Cockroach Janta Party (campaign page), Al Jazeera, ABC News (Australia).
Why are French students protesting?
The immediate grievances are about the conditions inside French schools. Students have complained about overcrowded classrooms, teacher and staff shortages, poorly maintained buildings and inadequate resources.
Some have also raised concerns about long school days and the pressure surrounding university admissions. Reuters reported the example of a 15-year-old student in Pantin, outside Paris, who said her class had 35 students and that there were not enough chairs.
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For students, these are not abstract budget numbers. They are problems they encounter when they walk into the classroom every day.
Express InfoGenIE · France
France school protests: 5 numbers that explain the unrest
A high-school movement over classroom conditions has spread from Paris across France.
01 · Where
Tap a pin — the story pops up on the map
Paris & Pantin · Where it started
The movement began last week in the Paris region, with protests in Pantin and Aubervilliers.
Source: Al Jazeera, CBS News
Rennes · Bins set alight
Rubbish containers were set on fire during protests.
Source: Fox News, CBS News
Brest · Protests
Protests reported among the cities hit.
Source: Euronews, CBS News
Strasbourg · Tear gas
Police used tear gas against protesters.
Source: Reuters, Fox News
Clermont-Ferrand · Protests
Named among the cities where protests took place.
Source: CBS News
Lyon · Protests
Protests reported among the cities hit.
Source: Euronews
Toulouse · Protests
Protests reported in the city.
Source: Al Jazeera
Marseille · Fireworks & remote classes
Fireworks were fired at police; many schools switched to remote classes.
Source: Euronews, Fox News
La Ciotat · Protests
Named by Reuters among the towns affected.
Source: Reuters
Cities named in Reuters, AP, Euronews, Al Jazeera and CBS reports. Pins placed from city coordinates.
02 · The numbers
Five figures
in police custody, 90% minors
high schools disrupted
of 3,700 high schools shut Friday
school staff injured, incl. 40 principals
€65.53bn2027 education budget, +1.7%
Custody and injury figures from French ministers via AP and Reuters. Budget excludes teacher pensions; the 1.7% rise is below inflation.
03 · Timeline
How it spread — tap a step
Last week
Protests begin in the Paris region over classroom conditions.
Days later
The movement spreads to cities across France.
This week
Clashes with police: tear gas, fireworks, burning bins.
Thursday–Friday
About 2,000 people in custody; ~400 high schools shut.
Now
Government crisis meeting; parents told to keep children away.
04 · Why students are protesting
Tap a note to read what students say
“We are 35 per class, we don’t have enough chairs in classrooms.”
A student, to Al Jazeera“For a whole year, we didn’t have a science teacher.”
A student, to CBS NewsStudents describe dilapidated buildings and overheated classrooms.
CBS News, EuronewsLong school days, and a one-hour lunch break too short for everyone to get food.
Al Jazeera, EuronewsSources: Reuters, AP, CBS News, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Fox News, French education and justice ministries.
How did the protests spread?
The protests began in the Paris region before spreading to other parts of France. By Friday, the disruption had become nationwide.
The French Education Ministry said 560 schools had been affected, the Associated Press reported. Reuters said around 400 high schools were closed on Friday.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 5,000 people had been arrested since Monday, most of them teenagers, Reuters reported. AP had reported more than 1,900 arrests at an earlier stage of the unrest.
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Reuters reported confrontations involving riot police in Strasbourg, Marseille and Rennes. Fires were started in some places and fireworks and other projectiles were thrown at police. In Pantin, fences were burned, and firecrackers were thrown at riot police, Reuters reported.
The French government has argued that people intent on causing disorder have joined the student movement. Rights groups, meanwhile, have accused police of excessive force in some incidents. Reuters reported that authorities were investigating allegations of police violence.
What does the French government say?
The government has acknowledged concerns about education but has strongly condemned attacks on police, teachers and school officials. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 65 education workers had been injured, including 40 headteachers, Reuters reported.
AP reported that 305 police officers were injured on Thursday. Teachers’ unions have also announced a strike for Tuesday.
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Why is money at the centre of the dispute?
The school protests are unfolding alongside a much wider argument about France’s finances and the government’s proposed 2027 budget. The proposed education budget is €65.53 billion, excluding teacher pensions, an increase of 1.7 per cent, according to Reuters.
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