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Western European country France has once again been engulfed in massive civil unrest and sharp protests on the streets. The entire country is in the grip of a strike in protest against the falling standards of the government education system, huge cuts in the annual budget of schools and the government plan to eliminate thousands of vacant posts of teachers. On the joint call of teachers unions, student organizations and common citizens, massive rallies were taken out in many big cities of the country including the capital Paris. According to data released by the Interior Ministry and labor unions, more than 2.66 lakh protesters have taken to the streets across the country. The protesters clearly allege that the Emmanuel Macron administration is neglecting government schools and promoting privatization, due to which the future of children from poor and middle class families is becoming bleak.
The situation on the streets of the capital Paris went out of control when some unruly elements entered the main procession of protesters marching between ‘Place de la Republique’ and ‘Place de la Nation’. The protesters raised slogans against the policies of the Education Ministry and tried to break the barricades by setting garbage bins on fire at many places. French anti-riot police (CRS), deployed to disperse the angry crowd and protect government buildings, fired heavy water cannons and tear gas shells. Violent clashes between police and protesters were also recorded in cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Nantes, where dozens of people were detained and several policemen and protesters were injured.
France’s main teacher unions (FSU, CGT Éduc’action and SUD Éducation) have opened a front against the government’s upcoming budget draft. The main protest points of teachers and parents are as follows:
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Protest against huge cuts in teachers’ posts: The government has proposed to eliminate thousands of teaching and non-teaching posts from primary and secondary government schools to bridge the financial deficit, which will have a direct impact on the number of students in classrooms.
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Wage Increase and Better Working Conditions: In the face of rising inflation and high cost of living, there has been no concrete revision in the salaries of teachers for a long time, due to which qualified youth are moving away from this profession.
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Lack of funds for school infrastructure: Government school buildings in many rural and suburban areas are in dilapidated condition, with budgets for heating and basic educational resources constantly being cut.
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Allegation of favoritism of private schools: The unions claim that public exchequer money is being spent on subsidizing private and elite schools, while public schools for the common people are being neglected.
The widespread protests and strikes have led to the closure of primary, secondary schools and higher education institutions across France. In many big cities, about 40% to 50% of primary schools remained completely closed, causing immense hardship to millions of working parents. The public transport system also collapsed with railway, metro and bus transport unions partially joining in support of the protesters. Delegations of hospitals and municipal employees also registered their presence in the Shiksha Bachao March, making this movement not limited to teachers only but turning into a widespread social outrage.
This public revolt has become a new and serious challenge for the French government, which is already facing pressure due to parliamentary deadlock and economic reforms. Opposition parties have started cornering the government in Parliament over the education budget and have demanded immediate release of emergency funding. At the same time, the Prime Minister and the Education Ministry have invited the union leaders to come to the negotiating table to calm the situation, but the unions have made it clear that until the decision to cut the budget is not withdrawn and the recruitment of new teachers is not ensured, this process of nationwide agitation and strike will continue unabated.